The Master Challenge: Final Arc
by NoSignalBlueScreen
Summary: Full Summ on 1st chp. A year has passed since the Kalos league. A tournament brings friends & rivals together for the largest adventure of their lives. As Ash starts learning more about his aura and being an aura guardian, dark presences emerge. Pokeshipping Contestshipping Ikarishipping & others. Old, planning rewrite. Still updating this version until completion though.
1. Final Reference List

**OKAY FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW THE DRILL: This is the Final Arc of the series. If you wanna have any idea of what's going on, then you will need to go to my profile and start with the Intro and Kanto Arc, then Johto Arc, Hoenn Arc, Sinnoh Arc, Unova Arc, then the Kalos Arc in order to have a clue about the storyline.**

* * *

 **PLEASE AT LEAST READ THE UNDERLINED PART!**

 **I'm sorry for the wait guys. Things kinda picked up and I've been pretty busy. It'll take me more time to get the first actual chapter out on the Final Arc. Also my updating schedule in general will probably be a bit erratic.**

 **Like I warned previously, this is my senior year and I've got a lot of things to do. I'll be thinking about these stories though and trying to find time to work on them. I hope you all understand! :)**

 **Wishing you all the best, always ~NoSignal**

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 **Also this isn't a full chapter, just a list for now, for your connivence :)**

 **Summary: Join Ash and his friends, from all his adventures, on a journey that will test them like never before. They will grow and learn more about each other and themselves than they thought possible. The Pokemon League has announced a tournament and everyone is excited that someone may get the honor to battle the reclusive Master himself. The tournament will start as soon as the contestants can complete a task; to travel the world and come back to the Indigo League after a year to battle to the top, but something dark stirs beneath the surface as enemies old and new attempt to turn the Pokemon World on its head. Watch as the heroes try their best to accomplish their dreams and goals and conquer all the obstacles in their way, but will any of it come at a cost?**

 **Final Arc** **Summary:** **Our heroes have succeeded in gathering all six of the required tokens for the Master Challenge and will be returning to Kanto to register themselves as having completed their task. With a little over six months to until the Master Challenge** **'** **s Tournament rolls around, there** **'** **s no telling what can happen between now and then. Team Rocket** **'** **s plans as well as Robles** **'** **plans begin to finalize and come to light. It all comes down to this.**

Known Teams and their Ages:

Ash's Team:

Ash (Ashton Satoshi Ketchum de Rota): 19

Misty (Misty Waterflower): 19

Brock (Brock Harrison): 24

Gary (Gary Blueregard Oak): 19

May (May Maple): 19

Max (Max Maple): 14

Drew (Drew Hayden): 18

Dawn (Dawn Berlitz): 19

Paul (Paul Rebolledo formerly Paul Rocketto): 20

Cilan (Cilan Griffith): 22

Cress (Cress Mare Griffith): 22

Chili (Chili Griffith): 22

Iris (Iris Yuki): 20

Ritchie (Ritchie Jayne): 19

The Second Group's Team:

Clemont (Clemont Liscio): 19

Serena (Serena Paschall): 19

Harley (Harley Ranellis): 24

Solidad (Solidad Natochenny): 25

Zoey (Zoey Williams): 20

Barry (Barry Pearson): 20

Kenny (Kenny Hudson): 19

Nando (Nando Nakai): 25

Stephan (Stephan Dunstan): 19

Bianca (Bianca Miyake): 20

Cameron (Cameron Kaplan): 18

Trip (Trip McGonnigal): 19

Georgia (Georgia Hamilton): 19

Burgundy (Burgundy Aimée Myers): 20

Leaf's Team:

Leaf (Leaf Tsuri): 19

Jimmy (Jimmy Schemmel): 19

Marina (Marina Andreatto)(Daughter of Gold and Crystal): 19

Vincent (Vincent Kolack): 18

Calem (Calem Darcio)(Brother to Xavier Darcio): 18

Alain (Alain Ono): 19

Mairin (Mairin Komatsu): 17

Astrid (Astrid Bristol): 19

Shauna (Shauna Armeniox): 20

Tierno (Tierno Haberkorn): 22

Trevor (Trevor Lockwood): 21

Assunta (Assunta Toyoshima): 19

Brendan (Brendan Birch)(Sister to Sapphire Birch and son to Professor Birch): 21

Samurai (Samurai Yukiji): 19

Damien's Team:

Damien (Damien Haigney): 20

Shamus (Shamus Barreda): 19

Greg (Greg Murdose): 22

Dingo (Dingo Ranzef): 20

Ursula (Ursula Schoenberg): 19

(nine other strangers)

Rafe's Team:

Rafe (Rafe Arcelus): 20

Sid (Sidney Higo): 21

Tory (Tory Lund): 18

Rebecca (Rebecca Ortiz): 22

Audrey (Audrey Arcelus): 15

Kathryn (Kathryn Arcelus): 15

Conway (Conway Albano): 18

(seven other strangers)

Lucy's Team:

Lucy (Lucy Morinelli): 25

Anabel (Anabel Thomas): 20

Macy (Macy Maeda): 19

Casey (Casey Kumagaya): 19

(ten other strangers)

Coronia's team:

Coronia (Coronia Barnett): 21

Maeve (Maeve Salinas): 22

(twelve other strangers)

Xavier's Team:

Xavier (Xavier Darcio): 23

Tobias (Tobias Takahashi): 23

Virgil (Virgil Wayland): 21

Jon Dickson: 22

Tyson (Tyson Nojima): 22

(nine other strangers/leeches :P)

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Other Characters and their Ages (if deceased then their ages are what they would be if alive):

Miyamoto Hayashibara: 48 (deceased)

Jessie (Jessie Hayashibara): 29

James (Jamison Cathcart): 29

Delia Ketchum: 38 (based off her age of the novelization according to bulbapedia [29] + 8 years from the start of Ash's journey.)

Giovanni Rocketto: (Unknown) but in this story: 58

Prof. Samuel Oak: 64

Professor Birch: 55

Prof. Ivy: 46

Prof. Rowan: 61

Prof. Juniper (female): 43

Prof. Juniper (male): 64

Prof. Sycamore: 42

Prof. Elm: 49

Redrick(Red Ketchum): 39 (deceased)

Blueregard(Blue Oak): 39 (deceased)

Gretchen(Green Oak): 39 (deceased)

Yellow(Amarillo del Bosque Verde): 36

Sylvester(Silver Rocketto): 35(38 years old[fuzzy on age due to Ho-oh's influence])

Goldenridge(Gold Andreatto): 36

Crys(Crystal Andreatto): 35

Ruben(Ruby Garcia): 34

Sapphire Garcia (Brendan's sister)(Professor Birch's daughter): 33

Emerald/Rald(Emerald Mahogany): 33

Dia(Diamond Tsumura): 31

Pearl Pearson: 31

Platia(Platinum Berlitz): 32

White/Whitney(Whitney Shiro)(Touko is her younger sister): 35

Cheren(Cheren Kimura): 35

Bel(Miyake)(Bianca's older sister): 35

Iris's counter part(Iris Arifiani)(Iris of Blackthorn): 33

Touko(Touko Shiro): 21

N(Natural Harmonia Gropius): 37 (deceased)

Ghetsis' new N(Natural Harmonia Gropius)(Ash's N): 24

Black(Blake Toya): 35

Lack-Two(Nate Irino): 31

Hugh(Hugh Minagawa): 31

White-Two(Rosa Martin): 31

Nancy(Yancy Ruri): 29

Christoph(Curtis Ruri): 33

Xavier(X Darcio): 23 (same Xavier as above)

Yvonne(Y Gābena): 23

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Known Pokemon Of the Two Main Teams:

Ash:

Pikachu (male)

Charizard (male)

Emboar (male)

Samurott (male)

Serperior (female)

Unfezant (female)

Scrafty (male)

Levanny (male)

Seismitoad (male)

Krookodile (male)

Gigalith (referred to as a he)

Venusaur (male)

Kinger (male)

Muk (male)

Tauros x 30 (male)

Snorlax (male)

Heracross (male)

Meganium (female)

Chikorita (male)

Typhlosion (male)

Feraligatr (male)

Noctowl (male)(shiny)

Donphan (male)

Swellow (male)

Sceptile (male)

Crawdaunt (male)

Torkoal (male)

Glalie (male)

Staraptor (male)

Torterra (male)

Infernape (male)

Floatzel (male)

Garchomp (male)

Blastoise (male)

Primape (male)

Gliscor (male)

Greninja (male)

Talonflame (male)

Go-goat (male)

Pangoro (male)

Tyrantrum (male)

Butterfree (male)

Butterfree (pink)(female)

Caterpie (female)

Caterpie (female)(more yellow-green)

Caterpie (male)

Pidgeot (female)

Lapras (female)

Gengar (male)

Tyranitar (male)

Rapidash (male)(shiny)

Lucario (male)

Espeon (male)

Jolteon (male)

Zoroark (female)(blue instead of red)

Nidoking (male)(shiny)

Kingdra (male)(larger and slightly darker blue)

Marowak (male)

Ellie (Pikachu)(female)

Mienshao (purple parts are more indigo in color)(male)

Scizor (male)

Houndoom (male)

Manectric (female)

Ninjask (male)

Shedinja (male)

Salamance (male)

Luxray (male)

Rampardos (male)

Hippowdon (male)

Gallade (male)

Absol (female)(shiny)

Whirlipede (male)

Archeops (male)

Braviary (male)

Honedge (male)

Hawlucha (male)

Phantump (male)

Goodra (female)

Noivern (male)

Misty:

Seaking (male)

Staryu (referred to as male)

Starmie (referred to as female)

Kingdra (male)

Golduck (male)

Politoed (male)

Corsola (female)

Gyarados (male)

Caserin (Luvdisc)(male)

Azumarill (female)

Milotic (female)

Lanturn (male)

Vaporeon (female)

Quagsire (male)

Togetic (male)

Jigglypuff (marker Jigglypuff)(female)

Walrein (female)

Tentacruel (male)

Floatzel (female)(shiny)

Swanna (female)

Carracosta (male)

Squirtle (female)

Surskit (female)

Ritchie:

Sparky(Pikachu)(male)

Zippo(Charizard)(male)

Happy(Butterfree)(male)

Cruise(Tyranitar)(male)

Rose(Swellow)(female)

Tangrowth(Romeo)(male)

Hypno (Doc)(male)

Kraken (Feraligator)(male)

Fawn (Linoone)(female)

Wyvern (Gabite)(male)

Aisu (Sneasel)(male)

Axis (Gurdurr)(male)

Nano (Elektrik)(shiny)(male)

Edgar (Honedge)(male)

Zeus (Pidgey)(male)

Max:

Sceptile (male)

Gardevoir (female)

Mightyena (male)

Camerupt (male)

Beedrill (male)

Golduck (male)

Dodrio (male)

Vigoroth (male)

Croagunk (male)

Electabuzz (Son of Paul's Electrivire)(male)

Cottonee (male)

Tranquill (male)

Drifloon (male)

Bunnelby (male)

Brock:

Steelix (male)

Golem (male)

Crobat (male)

Forretress (male)

Ludicolo (male)

Swampert (male)

Sudowoodo (male)

Toxicroak (male)

Blissey (female)

Rhydon (male)

Sandslash (male)

Shuckle (male)

Ninetales (female)

Armaldo (male)

Magneton (referred to as male)

Staravia (male)(shiny)

Trubbish (male)

Golett (male)

Carbink (seen as female)

Bergmite (male)

Gary:

Blastoise (male)

Umbreon (male)

Electivire (male)

Kingler (male)

Nidoking (male)

Arcanine (male)

Dodrio (male)

Nidoqueen (female)

Magmar (male)

Scizor (male)

Golem (male)

Alakazam (male)

Houndoom (male)

Pinsir (male)

Fearow (male)

Kingdra (male)

Skarmory (male)

Aerodactyl (male)

Exeggcutor (male)

Dusclops (male)

Medicham (male)

Dragonair (male)

Sheildon (male)

Herdier (male)

Joltik (male)

Fennekin (male)

Zangoose (male)

May:

Blaziken (female)

Beautifly (female)

Venusaur (female)

Delcatty (female)

Munchlax (male)

Blastoise (female)

Glaceon (female)

Nidoqueen (female)

Furret (female)

Altaria (female)

Grumpig (male)

Luxio (female)

Liepard (female)

Surskit (female)

Spritzee (female)

Helioptile (male)

Drew:

Roserade (male)

Masquerain (male)

Flygon (male)

Absol (male)

Butterfree (male)

Girafarig (male)

Ampharos (male)

Mantine (male)

Kecleon (formerly Brodie's)(male)

Flareon (male)

Solosis (male)

Frogadier (male)

Espurr (male)

Paul:

Electravire (male)

Ninjask (male)

Aggron (male)

Gastrodon (male)

Drapion (male)

Froslass (female)

Torterra (male)

Ursaring (male)

Honchkrow (male)

Weavile (male)

Magmortar (male)

Gliscor (male)

Hariyama (male)

Nidoking (male)

Gyarados (male)

Hitmontop (male)

Swalot (male)

Stuntank (male)

Lucario (male)

Axew (male)(shiny)

Chespin (male)

Litleo (male)

Dawn:

Piplup (male)

Lopunny (female)

Mamoswine (male)

Typhlosion (male)

Pachirisu (male)

Togekiss (female)

Bellossom (female)

Mismagius (female)

Ambipom (female)

Mawile (female)

Glameow (female)

Munna (female)

Vullaby (female)

Bulbasaur (female)

Illumise (female)

Cilan:

Simisage (male)

Crustle (male)

Stunfisk (male)

Parasect (male)

Victreebel (male)

Breloom (male)

Sceptile (male)

Tropius (male)

Snover (male)

Torterra (female)

Maractus (female)

Ferroseed (male)

Skiddo (male)

Pumpkaboo (female)

Chili:

Simisear (male)

Heatmor (male)

Arcanine (male)

Darmanitan (male)

Magcargo (male)

Ninetales (male)

Blaziken (male)

Magmar (male)

Litwick (male)

Fletchinder (male)

Ponyta (female)

Cress:

Simipour (male)

Slowking (male)

Poliwrath (male)

Omastar (male)

Dewgong (male)

Sharpedo (male)

Huntail (male)

Bibarel (male)

Whiscash (male)

Basculin(red)(male)

Basculin(blue)(male)

Binacle (male)

Wailmer (female)

Iris:

Haxorus (male)

Excadrill (male)

Emolga (female)

Dragonite (male)

Hydreigon (male)

Kangaskhan (female)

Aerodactyl (male)

Lapras (childhood friend of Ash's Lapras)(male)

Flygon (male)(shiny)

Garchomp (female)

Rampardos (female)

Druggidon (male)

Amaura (male)

Charmander (female)

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Serena:

Delphox (female)

Vivillon (female)

Florges (female)

Meowstic (female)

Amaura (female)

Manectric (male)

Sunflora (male)

Seaking (female)

Staraptor (female)

Hippopotas (female)

Audino (female)

Furfrou (female)

Slowbro (male)

Pangoro (male)

Slyveon (female)

Clemont:

Diggersby (male)

Heliolisk (male)

Chesnaught (male)

Magneton x 2 (one referred to as male the other female)

Nosepass (male)

Ampharos (male)(shiny)

Rotom (referred to as male)

Watchog (male)

Luxray (male)

Voltorb (seen as male)

Chinchou (female)

Harley:

Cacturne (male)

Banette (male)

Ariados (male)

Octillery (male)

Wigglytuff (female)

Clefable (male)

Haunter (male)

Smoochum (female)

Glalie (male)

Gothorita (female)

Inkay (male)(shiny)

Lunatone (seen as female)

Solidad:

Slowbro (male)

Lapras (male)

Pidgeot (male)

Butterfree (male)

Ninetales (female)

Raichu (male)

Dragonite (female)

Alakazam (male)

Sigilyph (female)

Solrock (seen as male)

Litleo (female)

Zoey:

Glameow (male)

Mismagius (female)

Gastrodon (female)

Lumineon (female)

Gallade (male)

Leafeon (male)

Ledian (male)

Houndoom (male)

Klink (referred to as male)

Taillow (male)

Flabébé (female)

Barry:

Empoleon (male)

Staraptor (male)

Roserade (male)

Heracross (male)

Skarmory (male)

Hitmonlee (male)

Rapidash (male)

Snorlax (male)

Elgyem (male)

Loudred (male)

Noibat (female)

Kenny:

Empoleon (male)

Alakazam (male)

Breloom (male)

Machoke (male)

Floatzel (male)

Graveler (male)

Golbat (male)

Mothim (male)

Shelmet (male)

Skrelp (female)

Nando:

Roserade (male)

Sunflora (male)

Kricketune (male)

Altaria (female)

Kricketot (male)

Lopunny (female)

Armaldo (male)

Chimecho (male)

Marill (female)(sing)

Tympole (male)

Cleffa (female)

Meinfoo (male)

Stephan:

Zebstrika (male)

Sawk (male)

Liepard (male)

Arcanine (male)

Tentacruel (male)

Donphan (male)

Heracross (male)

Bouffalant (male)

Snover (male)(shiny)

Tyrunt (male)

Bianca:

Emboar (male)

Cinccino (male)

Escavalier (male)

Cloyster (male)

Electrode (referred to as male)

Fortress (female)

Cherubi (female)

Munna (female)

Klefki (male)

Espurr (female)

Cameron:

Lucario (male)

Ferrothorn (male)

Samurott (female)

Hydreigon (male)

Swanna (male)

Watchog (male)

Espeon (female)

Skorupi (female)

Koffing (male)

Scatterbug (male)

Pancham (female)

Trip:

Serperior (male)

Unfezant (male)

Jellicent (male)

Chandelure (male)

Vanilluxe (male)

Conkeldurr (male)

Himonchan (male)

Alakazam (male)

Rhydon (male)

Electrike (male)(shiny)

Pinsir (male)

Sliggoo (male)

Georgia:

Beartic (male)

Bisharp (female)

Vanilluxe (female)

Lapras (male)

Piloswine (female)

Delibird (male)

Prinplup (male)

Sylveon (female)

Cryogonal (referred to as male)

Snubull (female)

Marill (male)

Burgundy:

Dewott (male)

Sawsbuck (male)

Stoutland (male)

Darmanitan (male)

Fearow (the one Ash met at the very start of his journey)(male)

Dunsparce (male)

Gorebyss (female)

Yanma (male)

Swoobat (female)

Swirlix (female)

Onix (male)

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

(Someone requested this / I might forget some of the pokemon ones, but here)

Official Couples:

Humans:

Ash and Misty

Brock and Lucy

Gary and Leaf

May and Drew

Dawn and Paul

Cilan and Iris

Cress and Burgundy

Chili and Coronia

Clemont and Serena

Barry and Bianca

Trip and Georgia

Trevor and Shauna

Pokemon:

Pikachu and Ellie

Golduck(Misty) and Swanna(Misty_

Sceptile(Ash) and Meganium(Ash)

Butterfree(Ash) and PinkButterfree

Lapras(Ash) and Lapras(Iris)

Floatzel(Ash) and Floatzel(Misty)

Charla and Charizard(Ash)

Masquerain(Drew) and Beautifly(May)

Tentative Couples(Getting there):

Humans:

Harley and Solidad

Zoey and Kenny

Jimmy and Marina

Alain and Astrid

Pokemon:

Braviary(Ash) and Pidgeot(Ash)

Lucario(Ash) and Zoroark(Ash)

Goodra(Ash) and Tyrantrum(Ash)

Absol(Ash) and Houndoom(Ash)

Luxray(Ash) and Manectric(Ash)

Jolteon(Ash) and Vaporeon(Misty)

Aisu(Ritchie) and Fawn(Ritchie)

Flareon(Drew) and Glaceon(May)

Lucario(Paul) and Lopunny(Dawn)

Maractus(Cilan) and Ferroseed(Cilan)

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 **Okay so I realize there are some vast difference between the amount of pokemon some characeters have. The sad truth is it will mostly remain this way. Everyone will be catching pokemon but some people just simply won't be able to catch up.**

 **As for the teams shown, You'll notice some pokemon are evolved, some still aren't, some characters have some new pokemon I gifted them since they either had less than a full team or because they are catching pokemon, in the case of the second group, outside of the reader's view.**

 **For this list I've added last names to the trainers and genders to all the pokemon. I tried my best to compare screenshots and be canonical about canon pokemon's genders. A good deal didn't have any visual gender differences I could use to try and compare for figuring out gender so I guessed based on behavior and general feel I got from that pokemon. All others I used Bulbapedia for accurate gender labeling.**

 **zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**

 **If you guys think of anything else you'd like me to list let me know.**

 **Follow, Fav, Review! :D And most importantly, Enjoy!**


	2. What We Fight For

**IMP AN:**

 **Hey there everyone. First I'd like to say I'm sorry for the lateness for this first chapter. It had started out as me wanting to enjoy the last days of my summer without any worry at all, but then like my AN had mentioned as a warning before, school got me good. I'm already swamped with a bazillion and one things.**

 **So, in short, I can't promise a chapter every two weeks like I used to. I can only say the chapters will come when they come. I hope things will slow down closer to November when my internship will be over and I'll only have to worry about three classes. So until then, hopefully, I'll try to update every once in a while when I can.**

 **I hope you all understand. My creative juices are all still there and I've been thinking about all kinds of stories I want to write after Master Challenge's parts and Pondus Omnium. It's simply my time table that's against me.**

 **Until next chapter, best wishes, ~NoSignal.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Normal Talk

 _Thoughts_

 **Lucario talking unless stated otherwise**

 **Zoroark talking unless stated otherwise**

 _ **M**_ _ **ienshao talking unless stated otherwise**_

Let the journey continue...

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

For a moment, he could forget about the complexities his life threw at him these days, all because of a breath of salty sea air that to him seemed unique to Vermillion city. He'd been gone longer than a few months from his home region before, but for some reason it felt like it had been years.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out as everyone walked down one of the planks the airplane had attached to the docks. Ellie became a bit more excited than Pikachu, seeing as she wasn't as used to travel as her peer and leapt to Ash's head to squeal out her own cry.

"It seems a bit busier here than normal. I wonder what's going on?" Misty asked glancing around and seeing large groups of trainers of all ranks and ages with their pokemon.

"According to my Pokenav, Vermillion's local news says its an evolution festival. Vendors have come from all over to sell items and stones," Max informed everyone.

"Huh wonder if Surge had anything to do with this? He was always so gung-ho on evolution…" Ash murmured under his breath, causing Pikachu to roll his eyes at his trainer.

The trainers planned to stock up on supplies at the mart before heading towards Cerulean. Their ultimate destinations were the Indigo Plateau to register that they'd finished their hunt for the tokens and then Pallet town, were they would all remain until time for the tournament.

The predictable choices headed towards the mart to gather food and other supplies to top off their stocks. The rest of the group decided to hang around the vendors and shop a little. After all, they needed to wait for the second group to arrive in Vermillion as well.

zzz-Ritchie-zzz

Ritchie could remember enjoying Vermillion the few times he had visited. Battling Surge had been one of the highlights during his own journey as it had been the first time Zippo had taken down a pokemon more evolved than him.

The activity in the city now was okay, but he had always been one for a more peaceful atmosphere. He was, however, interested in buying some things from the vendors. If he could get past the crowds.

"No prices greater than eight thousand poké!"

"Ha, over here no more than seven thousand five hundred poké, folks!"

"But our their wares authentic!?"

Ritchie glanced about and frowned. Of course there would be charlatans here trying to trick trainers… He looked over his shoulder and happened to spot Ash, Misty and Max nearby. "Hey Ash!"

Ash perked up along with his companions and walked over to Ritchie. "What cha need, Ritchie?"

Ritchie sighed and used his thumb to gesture to the crowds and the vendors nearest them. "Can you tell which of these items are fakes?"

Ash frowned, understanding what his friend was talking about. "Yeah."

"Ash was just talking to us about that," Max informed. "He's been memorizing which guys have fake merch. We're going to turn them in once he's down looking around."

Ash nodded to Ritchie. "It's kinda my job to inform the authorities of that kind of stuff. One time when I was training at Cameron, the G-men brought in a massive amount of contraband for me and Riley to look through. Talk about something taking forever!"

"Pikaaa!" Pikachu agreed, no doubt recalling the event.

"But you practically sat back with a cool drink more than half of the time," Ash responded slyly. Pikachu gasped in fake hurt. "You know it's true." Pikachu pouted slightly as Ash started to scan the booths. He then pointed to one of them. "That guy has completely genuine items, one has all fake and the last has only a couple, which means he might not know they're fakes himself."

Ritchie nodded his thanks before watching Ash, Misty and Max walk off. Then Ritchie patiently waited in line after releasing Edger. Eventually the two made it up to the front of the line. There, Ritchie pointed to a dusk stone and the man bagged it in a small satchel which made Honedge happy. Ritchie looked around the table once more; he noticed that there only seemed to be stones and a few other items that were mostly minerals, like metal coat.

"Do you have any other evolutionary items that aren't stones?"

The man nodded and pulled a few things from under the counter. "Any of these suit your fancy, son?" He placed a couple scales, one blue and one multicolored as well as a claw-like object.

Ritchie saw the Razor claw and hummed in thought. A smile crossed his face. "Perfect."

zzz-Misty-zzz

"This all kinda reminds me of all the pokemon evolving at the base of evolution mountain, you know with the Eevee brothers?" Misty remarked.

Ash nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I just hope no one's forcing their pokemon to evolve."

"Pikachu pi pika chu pi pikachu."

"Oh, I actually didn't know that…"

"What Ash?" Max asked.

"Pikachu says a trainer can't physically force a pokemon to evolve with an item since the pokemon has to use some of its aura to accept the stone or item's energy, usually it's peer-pressure that forces them to change against their wills."

Misty listened quietly as Ash talked a bit more to Max about evolution. She noticed him glance up every once in a while to lock eyes on a vendor or two as though taking mental notes of every con-man or woman.

The water trainer looked around herself and noticed a young girl with a couple of Togekiss floating around her and shooting into the air to fly from time to time. Misty carefully pulled Togetics poke ball from her backpack. Would Togetic want to evolve again?

"Yo, mist!"

Misty snapped her head up with she heard Ash's voice. Her boyfriend smiled a bit.

"You okay? You were in lala land."

Misty nodded. "Yeah I guess… I was just thinking."

Ash placed a hand on her shoulder when they neared a Officer Jenny's booth. "Take some time to sit somewhere and think. I'm sure you'll figure out whatever it is."

Misty smiled at Ash and then Max before walking off. She heard Max plead with Ash to allow him to follow him and Jenny's officers to arrest the crooks. She reached a small bluff that over looked the docks and most of the bay.

"It's a great place to sit and think."

She jumped and looked behind her to see a old man and a Machop. "Don't mind us. We're just trying to flatten this land for a construction project of ours."

"Oh I'm sorry. I can move."

"No need, miss. Take all the time you need. Besides We've practically flattened all the land already, I just don't have enough money to start building."

"Oh, thanks." Misty watched as the man walked off and Machop started attacking certain boulders on the other edge. She turned back towards her view of the bay and started to think. Ultimately she decided that she needed to talk with Togetic and released him.

"Toge?"

Misty smiled brightly at her dear friend. "Togetic, have you ever-have you ever wanted to evolve again?"

Togetic perked up in surprise before floating down to roost on his trainer's shoulder. The fairy type's face scrunched up in thought.

"Yeah, that's about how I feel."

Togetic nodded slowly before looking over at the Wingull that were flying high above the bay, but were almost level with them. This was the second time Misty had talked with him about this and they both had still not come to a decision; at first it hadn't been much of a big deal and they'd forgotten about it. His eyes continued following the Wingulls; he could fly as he was, but could he soar?

As the silence drug on, both wondered if they'd ever truly come to a decision one way or another or if they'd keep putting it off.

zz

The old man wandered back towards where the young girl had been sitting to notice a wad of bills with a card. He reached down and picked them both up, noticing the wad was a good sum of poke'. He then blinked in concern before reading the card.

 _Thanks for letting me sit and think. Here's a donation for that project of yours._

 _~Misty Waterflower of Cerulean Gym_

The old man smiled happily and showed Machop, who cheered.

zzz-Everyone-zzz

A large group had formed around one of the machines that had been placed outside of the pokemon center. Strangers as well as everyone from the two groups had brought themselves back together to see Brock and Gary facing each other. Brock's Rhydon was standing over his trainer with a Protector in his hands and Gary's Dusclops was standing beside his, wearing a Reaper cloth over his shoulders.

"Ready?" Gary asked.

"Yeah, what about you, Rhydon?"

"Rhydoooh!"

"And you. Duslcops?"

"Clopsss…"

With that, the two veterans returned their pokemon and placed them on the slots in the trading machine. After pressing a few buttons and watching the balls of light travel between the wires, trade places and then trade back, both trainers picked up their pokemon and released a Rhyperior and a Dusknoir.

"You look great, Rhyperior," Brock stated as everyone backed up a bit for the pokemon to roar happily.

"Noir…"

Gary grinned at his ghost type, who glanced over at him with his one glowing eye before giving a thumbs up. The rest of the trainers in the group congratulated Brock and Gary as well as their pokemon before they started to group up and prepare to head out of Vermillion. The second group had gotten of their plane a couple hours after Ash's group and had met up with them.

"Finally! All the energy coming from the pokemon evolving all over the place was giving me a headache," Ash sighed happily as they crossed the entrance of the city as trees started to appear. Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Always so impatient Ashy-boy," Gary chimed, making Ash give him a annoyed pout.

"It will be nice to get to Pallet town," Clemont spoke up. "A good place to train and rest before the tournament."

"Yeah a little less craziness for some time," Serena agreed.

"I wonder if the League has found any other leads on Team Rocket," Kenny offered.

"No way to know for now," Brock replied.

"So we just wait around until something happens?" Barry asked in shock.

Trip gave the hyper boy a sidelong glance. "We don't have many other options. We _still_ don't know where their main base is. Until then, we just have to react to everything they throw at us."

"Cowards is what they are," Georgia added haughtily.

Ash listened to his friends talk more about what Team Rocket could be planning as he felt his headache fade away. He noticed a slight bit of worry coming from Misty and knew she hadn't figured out her problem yet. He then noticed Togetic on her shoulder and realized whatever it was, he was having trouble too.

Ash was sure things would be better when they got to Pallet. It was a safe and peaceful place after all.

zzz-Unknown Location-zzz

"I don't know guys… I'm already out seven of my nine lives," Meowth murmured worriedly as he and his partners crept along in the seemingly empty corridors.

"This is the only way we can get an idea of what the boss is actually planning," Jessie replied somewhat emotionlessly. There was no flamboyance, no excitement, just business.

James didn't even answer, because he was too busy thinking. Being thieves as they were, they'd snuck into many places and usually had ended up stealing something inside more often than not. As they crept through the steel halls which only offered the occasional rattle from air vents, he couldn't help but feel like something was different. Something felt, right. The three knew that they weren't exactly the best Team Rocket agents, they weren't blind to their countless failures, but they had always merely ignored the bad and focused on the positive, otherwise they would've never been able to motivate themselves ever again; they had done this even if it had made them seem borderline moronic. Now though, this was something they couldn't fail, this was something more than trying to force himself to break the law even though he'd never truly felt good doing it, sure maybe the thrill or the moment of jubilee when they had temporarily outsmarted someone was nice, but nothing more than that. This was different and James just couldn't quite figure out why.

"Here," Jessie motioned and pointed to a dead-end.

"Uh, Jess?" Meowth paused. "There's nothing there-"

"The air vent, you dolt!"

"Sssh!" James worriedly reminded and the fiery haired young woman calmed down.

She huffed. "Meowth is going to go through that to reach that room that practically no one is allowed in, got it? Me and James will keep look out."

Meowth blanched. "Say what?"

"Use your cat-like instincts or something," Jessie replied.

"What if someone comes by, Jess?" James asked, knowing that people did use these corridors, even if it was merely for patrol.

"We'll distract them," Jessie answered simply.

After a bit more arguing and a few colorful words from Jessie, Meowth found himself crawling into the opened vent. All sorts of thoughts went through Meowth's mind as he walked quietly forward on his four feet, something he hadn't done in ages. He had helped the scientists develop the dark serum which could control pokemon, by telling them when a pokemon was no longer even able to communicate as well as giving them a few bits of info about how pokemon bodies worked. After that, they'd kicked him out just in time for James and Jessie to return from a mission in Unova and tell them they were thinking of betraying the boss. To say Meowth had been surprised was an understatement. Since then, they'd tried to gain info about what the boss was planning; they wanted to know what they were truly fighting for. Jessie had been quiet and anti-social since their decision and James had been broody and constantly staring off into the distance and him? He had been a bit lost. That was until Meowth had figured something important out.

At first he'd considered splitting from the two, because the idea of leaving Team Rocket was bizarre. Sure he'd done it temporarily before, but he'd always come back. This was where he belonged, right? It was only after greater thought that he'd come to a more likely and slightly enlightening answer. He'd never returned for Team Rocket, he'd returned to Jessie and James. His pride had stung a bit from his revelation, but the truth was that he somewhat saw them as not only his friends but his trainers. He could sometimes be more intelligent than them and often times he preferred his space, but he could remember many of the twerps' pokemon having varied relationships with their trainers. The point was, poke ball or not, he was attached to Jimmy and Jess.

"You think this is a good idea?"

"Of course!"

Meowth tensed, feeling his claws rake slightly against the steel under his pads. He looked down through a grated opening and saw two scientists standing in something like a locker room.

"I'm just saying that that pokemon has the power to absorb life from things. I almost wish Lawrence had just failed to catch it."

"You dare wish ill will on the boss' plans?"

"No of course not, but… never mind. Let's get something to eat."

"Whatever."

Meowth watched the two men disappear through a side door. "A pokemon? What did that nut with da flying fortress, catch?" He whispered to himself before walking further down the vent. Eventually, he found himself at the end and after making sure no one was in the dark room, Meowth opened the vent and landed softly on the ground. The feline stretched and stood on two feet again. "Much betta."

Mostly the room looked like most of the rooms the Rocket scientists used. Nothing really stood out until he saw two things that made his fur stand on end. In one large tube, there was a pokemon suspended in liquid. After looking all over, he found a button to the lights and lit up the pokemon's pod. It was Yvetal.

Memories of being turned to stone made the cat shiver. Why would the boss need such a purely destructive pokemon? Other pokemon could threaten pokemon and hurt them, and most times it took a good deal of abuse from a pokemon to actually kill a human, but with Yvetal it was just getting touched by that light…

Looking over, he saw a strange bottle that seemed familiar. Then he recalled that it was one of the bottles that could be used to turn Hoopa into its Unbound form or more often take the Unbound energy away. They were called Prison bottles and supposedly they could trap spirits, energy, and a number of other things. They were mysterious items that many believed to be occult in nature simply because you could lock almost anyone or anything in them if you had the power to.

Meowth crept towards the bottle a little bit and noticed the bottle seemed completely empty for some reason. "Huh?"

He flinched when he heard something like a door open and turned to scurry towards the vent. In a couple of bounds he was inside it again, letting the vent down to cover up any hint of tampering. Feeling both disturbed by what he'd seen and proud for not being caught, he made his way back to his friends, never knowing that an evil man and his Zoroark were watching the entire thing.

zz

"I wonder what's taking so long…" Jessie grumbled.

"You think he got spotted?" James asked.

"No, we would've been caught by now too if that was true," Jessie replied leaning back against one of the walls.

James frowned and looked back up at the vent. "I'm starting to get nervous about what they're really hid-"

"Ssh." Jessie suddenly interrupted.

Both then heard the sounds of a few people coming, laughing and joking about something, probably some grunts.

James looked at Jessie in slight panic as if asking her what they should do. She heard the grunts getting closer and lunged at James.

"And I said, 'you know what? I don't give a damn!' You shoulda seen the look his face got."

"Sounds like he deserved it, not taking Team Rocket seriously…"

"What the-"

One of the three guys to pass by a dead end noticed other people, alerting his pals to the problem. Jessie was making out with James, who seemed to be trying to act like he wasn't gobsmacked.

"Eeh, whatever…"

"Nice…"

They started walking away and after they were out of sight the third one spoke, "I'm confused. I always thought that guy was gay…"

At that, James' whipped his head to the side, dislodging Jessie from him temporarily. "Excuse me? Just because I'm in touch with my feminine side and have a sense of fashion-mmphfphm…" Before James could start ranting, Jessie had clasped her hand over his mouth.

"Are you an idiot?"

"Mphmh?"

Jessie grumbled and let him go before stepping away. The two briefly locked eyes and then looked away, flustered.

"Uh, quick thinking there Jess."

"Thanks. Only downfall is that Cassidy will find out and tease me."

James glanced over at Jessie, who still wasn't looking at him. Did that mean she would feel ashamed to be with him? _Whoa wait, where did that come from?_

"Welp."

James and Jessie both jumped at the new voice. When they saw it was Meowth, James put a hand over his heart and Jessie hissed in annoyance.

"Easy youse guys, no need to bite my head off. Hey Jimmy, why's your face so red?"

James coughed. "The air conditioner doesn't cool this part of the base very well. I'm just a bit hot…"

"Oh… well…"

"What's the news?" Jessie asked.

"I'm getting to dat," Meowth replied with a huff before he grew more somber. "I've kinda got some bad news-"

zzz-Indigo Plateau-zzz

It had been few days getting there, but they had finally made it to the road leading to the Plateau. Their stops in Cerulean and Pewter had been peaceful enough; Misty's sisters had been excited to hear they had found all their tokens and Brock's family had been both happy and worried concerning all the Team Rocket activity. Brock had even gotten an update about Forrest and Clara. Since the other League events had been postponed, the two had been traveling and training, waiting for the time when Clara could challenge gym leaders again. Forrest had even captured his own Larvitar while Clara had caught several pokemon, one being a Vulpix.

With that good news helping boost their general morale, they all made their way towards the building which held the League HQ for Kanto, or at least the HQ that was open to the public, and where battles against the Elite Four and Champion took place for the winners of the normal Leagues. A young woman was at the counter when everyone walked up to it.

"Hello there, can I help you?"

"Yes miss, we were wanting to register for the Master Challenge third section. Both of our groups have collected the six tokens," Brock informed.

The young woman made an O shape with her mouth and indicated to them to give her a moment. She clicked a button on the phone next to her, making a light glow on her headset.

"Yes, hello. This is Jessica. We have a couple groups from the Master Challenge here. I was just calling because I know I need a supervisor's signature. Okay, thanks."

Jessica smiled brightly at them. "She'll be down in a minute."

So they waited as the young woman started listing their names on the right forms as well as scanning each of their pokedexes to prove they had the tokens. She signed something herself before looking up at them. "Okay now, could you tell me your Team names?"

"Veteran Victors," Clemont stated for the sake of his group and then the girl looked over at Ash's team, whom had all started to stare at Drew.

"WHAT!?" Drew shouted. "How was I supposed to know they actually expected us to come up with a Team name?"

"The Flames?" Chili said.

"No Team Aquarius," Cress sighed.

"Heh. Oh boy. Not again," Cilan said nervously.

"Oh! Adventurers of the Unknown?" May said sweetly.

Paul covered his face with a hand.

Ash then smiled slowly and spoke up over his friends. "The Chosen."

Everyone grew quiet and then started up again, thinking the name was fitting. The receptionist of course didn't understand the unspoken joke and wrote down both names. At that moment, the nearby elevator opened. Karen walked out.

"Hello everyone. I hear you guys got all your tokens. That's really great."

"I heard we were two of a few select that actually got here faster than most of the competition. Is that also true?" Paul asked, masking his emotions like he most often did.

Karen looked over at the young man coyly. "You aren't shy, huh?"

"We aren't the type to let it get to our heads if that's what you're concerned about," Trip seconded, only for Karen to laugh.

"Never crossed my mind, besides, I know all of you. That's not only because of recent events with unsavory fellows, but also because most if not all of you have popped up at least once on a Champion's radar. You're all very talented trainers."

Max smiled brightly.

"Tells us something we don't know," Harley replied only for Solidad to smack him in the back of the head, very hard.

"I can't believe you."

Trip only let his eye twitch slightly and Ash sweat dropped a bit.

Karen smirked. "Right then. How about this Mister Ranellis?" She walked over and signed the papers. "You're now ready to enter the third portion of the Master Challenge. See you hot shots in a few months." With that said, she turned and disappeared in the elevator.

"Miss Karen always has a flare about her," Jessica laughed.

"She does seem a bit mysterious," Iris murmured.

"Matches her type preference for dark pokemon," Gary added.

The group thanked Jessica and left the Plateau. They needed to head through Viridian and then they'd be in Pallet. Ash was excited to see his mom again as well as taste her cooking. As they walked though, Ash couldn't help but feel something was wrong. He subconsciously touched his pendant.

zzz-Cerulean Cave / A day and a half later-zzz

Mewtwo Y gathered her brown cloak around her body as she looked at the crystals that glittered in the ceiling above them. _**"This place is very peaceful and quiet."**_

Mewtwo X perked up and glanced at her. **"It is. I don't which to live here forever though."**

She turned to look at him. _**"Where do you wish to live?"**_

Mewtwo X closed his eyes. **"I want to return to New Island and rebuild something there. With our powers, we could make it into a island protected by a mirage. Any pokemon that needed sanctuary could come there, much like the other clones found Peace under Mount Quena."**

Mewtwo nodded slowly before closing her eyes halfway. _**"I… I like the sound of that. A place were others who are lost can come, others out there that do not know their purpose, like the clones, like the Genesect, others that need to learn that they control their own destiny."**_

Mewtwo X and Y glanced at each other for a moment before the ends of their long tails entertained and started to glow a bit. They stopped and let go when they both heard a noise.

Mewtwo X nodded to Y and focused to Teleport only to find out he couldn't. **"What?"**

"I'm afraid, you will not be escaping me again."

A dark mass flashed between both Mewtwo and Mewtwo X felt his crystal break away and then he heard it shatter against the ground. The black mass stopped and turned to show itself as a Houndoom. Mewtwo X growled and whipped his head to look in the other direction.

A mound of dirt showed where a pokemon was hiding, but that wasn't what he was focused on.

"Thanks to Dugtrio, you're stuck here," Giovanni muttered as he walked out of the shadows. Archer as well as Vane and around a hundred grunts with various weapons emerged as well. An Umbreon with blue rings and yellow eyes sat near Vane.

 _ **"You believe you can catch us? Not even your fortress could do the job."**_ Mewtwo Y spat.

"Ah yes, the fortress did fail, but that's not such a problem." Giovanni snapped his fingers.

Out of the water of a nearby pool of water, a massive shape popped out and grabbed Mewtwo Y in its jaws. Mewtwo stumbled backwards in shock as he watched Giratina, or what looked like Giratina toss his partner into the back wall.

Giratina's normally gray skin was black now. His red portions were a ominous purple and his gold claws and face mask were a bone white. The now seemingly mindless creature turned to Mewtwo X and roared.

Mewtwo focused and in a flash turned into Mega Mewtwo X and used Barrier. Giratina's Dragonbreath slammed against the shield a moment later as Mewtwo simultaneously used Miracle eye and Psychic to toss the Houndoom towards another pool of water and levitate a stunned Mewtwo Y into the protection of his shield.

The dark hound cried out in shock as his body was submerged in water, prompting Archer to return his pet. He made no other move though and stood ridged with his son and boss. The grunts had started to fire green blasts of energy from their weapons at the shield, trying to help break it down.

Mewtwo Y shook off her daze before transforming into Mega Mewtwo Y. She then made an inner Barrier within her partner's before lashing Giratina with couple Psycho cuts. The ghostly dragon wailed in pain before his eyes glowed a deep purple.

"Draco meteor." Giovanni stated simply. Giratina built up the attack in his throat and both psychic types could see a strange purplish red energy circling around the attack. The bullet of explosive draconic energy smashed through the double Barrier like glass, exploding in the psychics' faces.

 **"Enough!"** Mewtwo growled out using some psychic energy to dissipate the smoke. Both he and Mewtwo Y were a bit burnt and damaged. Mewtwo X then let white light fill his eyes and Giratina flailed backwards as though invisibly struck. Giratina could no longer use Draco meteor, at least for a while.

Both Mewtwos then Recovered as Giratina was trying to regain focus. They both readied their hands in front of them, forming a small ball of pink energy in their hands each. They then rose their hands and the spheres above their heads.

 _ **"Psystrike!"**_ Both of them screamed. Pink spears of light shot through Giratina's body, causing inner damage to his aura reserves and cutting his flesh some. Blackish colored blood oozed out and Giratina cried out in rage.

Giovanni merely continued to sit still, not seemingly bothered at all. All the grunts had stopped firing.

 **"Again, you fail to stop me."** Mewtwo X stated defiantly. As Giratina slowly slumped to the ground in exhaustion. Though the serum was making him want to do nothing but fight and obey, his body simply couldn't follow through.

Giovanni slowly smiled in an arrogant fashion. "You maybe one of the worlds strongest psychic pokemon, but no pokemon can ever match the intelligence of a human. Even the great Arceus has lost his touch through the ages. We have the means to rule over everything."

 _ **"We will not let you succeed."**_ Mewtwo Y retorted angrily.

"That's no longer up to you to decide."

Mewtwo X glanced over at Giratina and saw a black glow leave his eyes right before the titan fainted. **"No!"** In a moment, both Mewtwos felt a severe drain of energy and reverted to their normal forms against their will, before collapsing.

"You could say we're bonded, my friend. Bonded by destiny."

That was the last thing Mewtwo X heard before darkness took over.

zzz-Pallet Town-zzz

"Well I'm glad you all made it here okay. I can't wait to get a chance to look over all your pokemon and see how they've grown!" Professor Oak exclaimed excitedly.

Tracey laughed nervously at the professor's excitement while the rest of the group smiled.

"It's good to be back!" Ash declared happily.

"I'm certain Pallet town will get excited to see so many talented trainers training here for the Challenge. You've visited your mother, haven't you my dear boy?"

At that Ash's face started turning blue. "Oh sh-"

"Ashton Ketchum!"

Everyone backed off as Mrs. Ketchum came through the lab doors and marched up to her now sweating son.

"Hey, mom… Look I really did mean to come by there first but it must've slipped my mind-"

"I do not want to learn my son's in town because of a neighbor next time, young man."

Ash deflated. "Sorry mom."

Delia sighed and gave him a smile before looking about and saying hello to everyone else. After talking for a bit longer, everyone walked out into the lab's ranch area. It was then that everyone released all their pokemon; Ash even brought over all his through his pendant from the Tree.

Everyone greeted their pokemon while Ash's greeted him by doing their traditional dog pile.

Ash twitched underneath the pile and deadpanned when some of Goodra's slime splatted on his face. "Yep, glad to see everybody."

"Incredible, everyone!" Oak exclaimed before walking over to Dawn's Bulbasaur and carefully rubbing her bulb. He was rewarded by a surprise puff of Stun spore. He collapsed backwards as everyone gasped in shock; Oak twitched as Gary sweat dropped with a deadpanned expression. "Ah yes, her thigmotropic response is working just fine."

"Muuuuuk."

"Oh no please, Muk." Ash's Muk then covered the professor, acting a bit put out that the professor was giving another pokemon attention.

Tracey coughed. "I'll help the professor while you guys start training."

"And I'll cook something special to celebrate your finding of all your tokens!" Delia exclaimed.

"That's very kind of you Mrs. Ketchum," Solidad said politely.

"Indeed. Thank you." Nando nodded.

Barry grew excited and dashed up in front of Mrs. Ketchum. "Can we have those butter cookies shaped like pokemon!? I haven't had those in forever! My dad said Kanto and Johto make the best!"

Delia blinked and then smiled. "Of course! I'll head to the market right away." Ash's Houndoom ran over to her and barked. "You want to come with me?" She asked politely.

"Dooh!" Houndoom barked.

Ash smiled and nodded. "Take care of mom, okay Houndoom?"

Delia okay laughed. "It's just the market, Ash. I've been a million and one times." She turned and walked back into the lab with Houndoom at her heels.

zzz-Ash and Paul-zzz

"I don't want you to even consider half-assing anything with me."

"Of course not. I owe you more than that, don't I?" Ash replied.

Paul gave the smallest of smiles. "Good. Gastrodon, ready?"

Gastrodon gurgled and eyed Tyrantrum steadily. The large dragon huffed.

"Now, Tyrantrum. You can't keep underestimating other people's pokemon. Should I have you battle Goodra again?" Ash asked.

Tyrantrum had a small storm cloud form over his head.

"So pay attention. Bigger doesn't always mean stronger, pal."

Tyrantrum turned his large head and nodded at Ash before widening his stance and letting out a roar meant to frighten opponents. Gastrodon's body merely jiggled.

"Let's start." Paul stated simply.

Ash nodded before Paul saw the blue light fill his friend's eyes.

Tyrantrum roared as rocks started to float in the air while surrounded by white light. Paul waited only a moment before countering. "Use multiple Water pulse."

Gastrodon focused a small sphere of energy near his mouth before firing off several shots, striking each rock and sending dust and debris everywhere. If there was one thing different about battling someone like Ash that didn't have to use verbal commands, it was being forced to practice one's ability to identify attacks and moves by sight alone.

However, the one downside was that unlike psychics or empaths, Ash could see through objects. In a breath, Tyrantrum rushed right through the dust cloud, mouth open. Paul had no chance to tell Gastrodon to dodge before a Crunch had captured his pokemon in Tyrantrum's jaws. The giant fossil pokemon then rose a foot with blue glowing claws a slammed it down on the rest of Gastrodon's body, making it cry out.

"Muddy water!"

Tyrantrum screeched when the muddy water swirled around both pokemon's forms and washed the dragon away.

When everything settled, Tyrantrum swished his tail and snorted while Gastrodon stared straight ahead.

Ash smiled and Paul could swear he could feel Ash's excitement pulsing across their battlefield. Tyrantrum grunted before crouching and leaping into the air. He came back down shortly making some of the earth buckle and a crack run across the ground.

zz

Professor Oak looked out of his window when he heard a loud noise echo across his fields. A smile came to his face as he finished signing some document or another. "Good thing I have several Diglett and Dugtrio handy, else my ranch would look like a battlefield more often than not."

"You can just tell how excited everyone is," Tracey expressed, carrying a few books.

"No doubt about that," Oak replied with a laugh as Tracey walked out. A small frown came to his face for a brief moment when he noticed a note on his desk talking about some of the bad weather going on in the Archipelago and East Johto. They couldn't really forget entirely about the danger that still loomed over their heads, not yet anyways.

zzz-Drew, Gary, and Brock-zzz

"Use Fire spin!"

"Will-o-wisp!" Gary snapped.

Brock's Ninetales allowed flames to spiral around it's tails before aiming and firing them at Dusknoir, while the ghost rose his arms and shot off several balls of ghostly flame. The two attacks met and erupted into a burst of smoke.

Drew watched carefully with a hand placed on his Girafarig's back. He heard his pokemon scratch its hoof against the earth in impatience. He gave it a smile. "Easy there. We'll get our chance soon. We're taking turns, so we just have to be patient." Girafarig snorted in response.

"Hex!"

"Noooir!" Dusknoir cried out, while gripping its head, when Ninetales's eyes turned purple.

Drew smirked. "Professor or Doctor, they still are two great trainers…"

"Masque!" Masquerain chirped in agreement.

Drew gave the bug a side-long look. "By the way, when were you going to tell me about May's Beautifly?"

Masquerain turned quickly and started making some strange whistling noise, which only made Drew snort with a smile.

"Like trainer like pokemon, Eeey Grass-stain!?"

Drew tensed and growled at Gary who was grinning like the ass he was.

"Oh well that makes a lot more sense as to why your pokemon are all single for so long!"

Gary paled and then grumbled while Dusknoir seemed to be entirely unamused and merely shrugged. Gary glanced at him. "You aren't supposed to act like he's right."

Dusknoir scratched the back of his head with one of his large hands.

zzz-Cress and Misty-zzz

"Mud shot!" Omastar drew his arms towards his mouth before flailing them out as several shots of mud fired out of his maw. The mud struck the Electroball that had been sent towards him and they both exploded.

"Eerie impulse!"

Misty watched as small almost unnoticed pulses of electric energy echoed across the field and made Omastar, of all pokemon, shiver a bit.

"Spike cannon!"

"Discharge!"

Spines coated in energy flew like missiles, leaving curves of light through the air, only to be deflected one after another by arcs of electricity. The remaining charge was able to course through the air and strike Omastar, who retracted back into his shell from the force of the blow and was spun rapidly backwards.

"If there was any question before, you are an excellent water type user, Misty!" Cress declared as Omastar slowly exited his shell and pulled himself upright again.

"Thanks, Cress! You're really great too you know?"

"I appreciate you're complements, however I do believe you have a bit more natural talent compared to me. Age isn't everything, but you've shown more skill for being younger than me."

Misty blinked and then smiled brightly. "Thanks."

Cress nodded. "You're welcome, but don't forget the battle isn't over of course…"

"Of course."

zzz-Ritchie, Stephan, and Cameron-zzz

Cameron grinned in pure excitement as he watched his Samurott spar against Kraken as Ritchie and Stephan battled with two other choices. Cameron's Espeon curled around his legs and never let it's gaze fall away from the action before it.

"Rollout!"

"Ice shard, quickly!" Ritchie snapped at his Sneasel, Aisu. The ice type strafed to the right before stopping and using Ice shard, knocking Donphan off course.

Cameron laughed in joy as the battle got more and more intense. Donphan was forced to abandon using Rollout since he wasn't fast enough. Sneasel was able to block each Horn attack his opponent tried with Ice punches, ice coating his arms to the elbow.

It was during this intense close combat situation that the claw on Sneasel's neck started to glow with the rest of his body. Aisu was now a Weavile.

Ritchie's eyes lit up and Sparky cheered.

zzz-May, Dawn, Solidad, and Zoey-zzz

"Fire fang and Faint attack!" Zoey nodded. Her Houndoom shot forward as black fog followed him; his mouth burst into flames as he neared Litleo.

"Dig!" Litleo made a yipping noise before obeying Solidad and diving into the earth, avoiding the combo move. Combo moves looked great and could be a very important part of a coordinator's arsenal, but they mattered not if they couldn't hit.

Zoey grit her teeth and then looked at Solidad. "You never let your guard down huh, Solidad?"

Solidad smiled. "You bet."

"Dodge that Ice beam and use Aura sphere!" Dawn's voice called out. Her Togekiss twittered and spun under the beam that lanced through the air. May's Glaceon automatically used Ice shard to stop Aura sphere from hitting her.

May nodded. "Okay, Blizzard!" She watched her ice type aim and fire the wave of snow and icy cold winds before she felt someone tug on her pants. She ignored it the first time but by the fourth she glanced down. Munchlax was there tugging silently on her. "Quit it, Munchlax."

"Munch."

"Munchlax, stop."

"Munch."

"Munchlax…"

"Munch…"

By this time the four girls had stopped training, noticing Munchlax and May interact. May pouted in annoyance until Munchlax pointed towards the woods.

"Hm?"

Munclax then walked in that direction and the girls followed until they saw Munchlax staring up into a tree. Surskit popped her head out from the leaves before disappearing. May hummed before she walked up to the tree and tried to get a good look. She gasped as the others came closer.

"What is it?" Zoey asked quietly.

"I think. I think Beautifly had her eggs," May replied.

They watched as Liepard appeared from the brush with several berries in her mouth. She walked towards the tree and leapt into it gracefully.

They waited a few minutes before Liepard leapt down with an egg carefully held in her mouth. Beautifly fluttered down afterwards with a second egg and Surskit right behind.

"Wow, congratulations, Beautifly!" May said joyfully.

The others all said similar things as Munchlax only sighed, amused.

zzz-Kenny and Harley-zzz

"Needle arm!"

Harley's Cacturne bashed Alakazam's cheek with the move, only causing Kenny to smile. "Focus blast!" Cacturne wailed in pain when he forced back from the fighting energy attack.

"Hmph." Harley pouted.

"Don't tell me you're giving up already?" Kenny asked with a small smirk.

Harley grumbled. "Pfft, as if. Just get ready to be creeped out…" He gave a wry smile as Cacturne stood while his eyes and body glowed dark. In a flash, he was in front of Alakazam and double punched him with a Payback attack. Kenny gasped in slight shock. "Don't underestimate me, hun. You could say I've found a better reason to fight. I'm the new and improved, Harley."

Kenny smiled as Alakazam steadied himself. "Is that so? Then show me!"

zzz-Max and Iris-zzz

"Dragons are powerful and hard to battle in almost all situations…" Max murmured as Iris released her Flygon and Garchomp. He adjusted his glasses.

"You bet they are," Iris nodded.

Max pulled out two pokeballs. "There are still many things I need to learn and more pokemon I need to capture someday, but like Ash used to say, 'this is just another step.' Go Sceptile! Go Whimsicott!"

Iris blinked. "Huh? Whimsicott?"

Max smirked. "I used one of the sun stones we still had." Sceptile prepared himself and let his leaves on his arms stiffen. Whimsicott leapt into the air and started to float idly.

Iris smiled. "Okay then, Flygon, Dragonbreath on Sceptile! Garchomp, Poison jab on Whimsicott!"

Max gasped. "Whimsicott, dodge it and use Fairy wind! Sceptile, run right through that attack using Dual chop!"

zzz-Cilan and Chili-zzz

"Rock slide, Torterra!"

"Extremespeed!" Chili snapped. Arcanine dashed past the spot the Rock slide were supposed to hit and slammed into Torterra. "Now Fire fang!" The canine bit down hard with his flaming fangs and Torterra grunted in pain.

"Torterra, use Hidden power," Cilan returned calmly. The spheres of energy formed and started to circle Torterra before smashing into the side of Arcanine's head several times. The normal type move dislodged the fire type and he leapt back for his next command. "Use Earthquake, now!"

"Don't let that hit you, Extremespeed, into the air!" Chili shouted. Arcanine launched himself into the air using his speed alone. "Use Flamethrower!"

"Stone edge!"

Both attacks passed each other and hit their targets. Torterra was surrounded in flames and Arcanine was knocked out of the sky by the stones. Both pokemon pulled themselves up and though they were a bit dirty and tired, they still had plenty of fight in them left.

"You've got much sharper in battle, Chili."

"Thanks! I learned a lot from you and Cress and from everyone else too. I'm… really thankful."

Cilan smiled in a competitive way. "Let's continue then. Show me how grateful you are! Show me the bond between you and your pokemon and we will show you ours!"

Torterrrrrrrrraaah!"

Chili grinned and saw Arcanine turn his head and grin back with his sharp teeth. "You're going to wish you hadn't asked!"

"Don't get presumptuous!" Cilan called out. "Torterra, Sandstorm."

Their field was then covered in a storm of ranging winds and sand.

zzz-Clemont, Serena, Barry and Bianca-zzz

"You guys against us?" Serena asked in slight surprise.

"Yeah! Don't you think it would be super fun!?" Bianca replied, giddy.

Barry leaned forward and gave Clemont a sly look. "Unless you're chicken?"

Clemont nervously coughed. "Of course not."

Serena blinked and then smiled determinedly. "Yeah, okay."

The two pairs then moved to opposite ends of the arena they'd chosen to battle in. Barry and Bianca released Staraptor and Emboar before Barry wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "You're going to have a hard time, guys!"

"Yeah!" Bianca cheered.

Serena looked over at Clemont, who seemed a bit nervous. They both blushed slightly before Clemont shook his head and released his choice.

"Ampharos, let's go!" His electric type appeared and shook itself, making a few white sparkles appear.

Serena saw the determination in Clemont's face and nodded before releasing Delphox.

"Aerial ace!" Barry shouted and pointed at Ampharos.

"Dodge and use Thunder punch!" Ampharos dodged to the left as Staraptor passed and punched the raptor in the side with an electric coated fist.

"Delphox, Psychic!" Serena yelled and gestured towards Emboar.

Bianca blinked. "Huh-oh!" She watched Emboar get tossed backwards.

Serena smiled as Clemont shifted his glasses up to catch the light. "We might not have as hard of a time as you might think."

Barry pulled his arms down and then pumped them in the air. "Yeah! Now I'm super-quadruply pumped!"

Serena and Clemont exchanged glances and chuckled.

zzz-Nando, Trip, Burgundy and Georgia-zzz

Burgundy and Georgia watched briefly as Trip's Hitmonchan fought against Nando's Lopunny, which was surprising the other three present, by dodging Hitmonchan's attacks almost without effort.

"Huh. I guess there's really all kinds of ways to battle. Nando really has his own style," Georgia murmured.

"Yes indeed," Burgundy replied, seemingly down. Georgia turned and looked at her friend.

"Hey what's with the long face?"

Burgundy hummed. "I suppose I feel as though I haven't grown as much as the others…"

Georgia's Slyveon chimed slightly and wrapped her ribbons around Burgundy's arm.

"I think you have," Georgia replied and nodded. "The first step to anything is to understand your faults."

"De-de!" Dewott chirped at Burgundy's heels.

Burgundy smiled until they all looked up to see Hitmonchan finally land an attack.

"I have to say, using dancing as a method to confuse trainers and overwhelm them is an interesting tactic," Trip spoke up.

Nando bowed. "I thank you for your words. You need to be aware however, that that is not my only strategy."

Trip nodded. "Bring it on."

zzz-Everyone-zzz

"Oh Ash…" Misty sighed as her boyfriend stuffed himself to the brim.

"But it's my mom's food, Mist."

Misty smiled and let out a sigh. "I know."

"You're the best, Mrs. Ketchum!" Barry shouted and reached for a cookie. Only for Delia to swat his hand away. "Not until after supper."

Kenny started laughing which only caused Barry to round on him.

"Keeping Weavile from getting hit is the most important when directing him in battle. Especially against larger and more powerful opponents," Paul explained to Ritchie, who was listening carefully.

"Yeah, Sneasel was much the same."

"It's not too different. Weavile now just has a speed and attack."

"Dad said Bonnie and Lyn have been restless. Since they couldn't even try battling a gym or entering any kind of competition, they've been training a bit with him," Clemont reported to Serena and Brock.

"I can imagine they are upset. Hopefully things will get better sooner rather than later and they can go back to business," Brock stated.

"There is a difference between making moves fancier and making moves more efficient or atypical. I don't need flare really, but changing the use of a move to suit the situation is fine by me," Gary chatted.

Trip nodded and Professor Oak chuckled. "Always been to the point haven't you?"

Gary snorted. "Ya know me best, gramps."

Everyone continued to chat into the night, enjoying each other's company.

zz

He tossed for the fifth time that night before opening his eyes. He sensed Pikachu and Ellie at his feet and Lucario resting in the corner of his room. After dinner, most everyone had gone to the lab to find beds and while it had enough space to hold one group, it didn't have the room to hold two groups. Ash, Misty, Dawn, and Brock had ended up taking the extra places in his house to sleep. Misty and Dawn got the two guest beds and Brock had taken the couch. Ash was having trouble sleeping though.

 _Hey Lucario?_

 **Yes?** Lucario asked mentally.

 _I can't sleep. Let's go outside._

 **As you wish.**

Ash carefully picked up Pikachu while Lucario held the sleeping Ellie. After a walk across the street, with Ash wearing a white shirt and pajama pants, they ended up in the ranch area. Within moments, Ash used his aura to find all his pokemon sleeping near each other.

A smile came to his face as he moved through the masses of bodies on the ground, taking note of the birds in the trees and the water pokemon near a lake. Ash found a place near Salamance and laid down against the dragon, who cracked open an eye and gave a smile. Lucario placed Ellie next to Pikachu and walked over to rest under a tree. Ash felt the grass under his fingers and felt himself relax.

While he had been training, this was how he had slept with all his pokemon many nights. For some reason, he felt the need to do it again. Typholsion walked over and laid down on Ash's lap, making the trainer gasp at the weight before the warmth of the pokemon's fur became worth it. Slowly Ash closed his eyes, listening to the breathing and snoring of his sleeping pokemon.

This would be the first of many days of training. His last thoughts were on how far he'd come and how many friends he'd made since he'd first broken his alarm clock all those years ago.

zzz-Unknown Location-zzz

"Lawrence accepted the payment and actually left?" Vane asked in surprise.

Giovanni snorted. "He's fairly reasonable. He was a little put out that we didn't have him capture Mew or Mewtwo, but he's wise enough to know when not to fight something."

"Either that or he expects us to fail."

There was quiet. "Perhaps, but that's none of my concern."

Vane shifted his weight as he watched his boss stare at the stationary Mewtwos trapped in steel restraints.

"Why do you care much about these two? We have so many other legendaries that are stronger…"

"No we don't. There are perhaps a few… but when these two mega evolve- Besides, I created the one known as Mewtwo X. I created him to be the world's strongest pokemon."

Vane flicked his gaze back towards the felines. "Of course."

Giovanni glanced over his shoulder. "Is there a particular reason you are still here?"

Vane flinched slightly, aggravated. "I was just wondering what you plan to do about getting the other orbs that aren't in our possession. That Guardian has them no doubt. We need them to-"

"Don't tell me what I already know."

Vane had to stop himself from growling.

"I already have a plan in place. You can leave, Vane."

Vane saluted and then left the room.

"Your serum will become perfected with those orbs."

Giovanni didn't move as Robles pulled away from a shadowed wall and came to stand beside him.

Giovanni looked over with hidden suspicion. "At this point in time, I'm not sure if using the orbs is the best action. We wouldn't want the corruption to be set free accidentally."

"Oh so you know about it?"

Giovanni now gave Robles a cold look. "Of course. I am no fool."

"I wasn't suggesting such a thing."

"We made the deal that as soon as the world was mine, you and Sird would be free to eradicate all signs of the Guardian race from the planet, starting with that Ketchum boy."

"Yes and we are glad. The Guardians' reign needs to come to an end." Robles was quiet. "However, I suggest you at least keep them from the boy entirely… and your serum won't be anything more than temporary-"

"I have my scientists looking into it. Leave me now."

Robles wordlessly turned and walked out, leaving the room the way Vane had. Giovanni pulled out a tablet and started to look through his financial accounts' notes. Everything from his money to his operations were in order. He was starting to believe Silver had escaped, but that didn't matter much.

Giovanni put the device away and looked up at Mewtwo again. "None of them can ever understand what I hope to achieve."

* * *

 **I feel, as the Master Challenge comes closer and closer to an end, that there are many things I could've done better with this story. At the same time, it makes me kinda happy, which is something that suprises me. I'm kinda a perfectionist with some things, so feeling okay about a story not being better is weird. I think it's because I can see clearly how I've grown in my writing abilities over time, that and just the general sense of accomplishment from getting so far along with the series.**

 **Anyways,**

 **Incase you were confused, Giratina used Destiny Bond. That's what caused both Mewtwos to faint.**

* * *

 **Answers to Questions:**

 **UCCM: Just pointing out the Pokemon list is long...really long.**

 **NoSignal: Yeah it has a lot of info. I probably wouldn't even have it if I felt it was too easy to forget who has what and various things like that. I plan to try to better organize info like that for my future Pokemon stories.**

 **Guest: Didn't Brock's Magnemite and Cress' Clamperl evolve into Magneton and Huntail, respectively?**

 **NoSignal: Yes! Thank you! I believe I've fixed that now. I have a bazillion saved files and some accidental copies around so sometimes I accidentally don't update it perfectly. Thanks again for the help!**

 **doglover500: How many chapters are there going to be? Are we going to see more of Reggie? I seriously hope we do. I saw on your profile that your a Christian what Christian movies have you seen? I'm a Christian too.**

 **NoSignal: I can't say exactly how many as I only know what events need to take place, and not how many chapters it will take to cover those events. Reggie will appear again, even if it isn't a ton of screen time. I've seen a few, but I can't remember their names. It's been a while since I watched them. :)**

 **Guest: But you put down on the list that both Ash and Misty's Kingdra are male. Did you mean to make one female?**

 **NoSignal: Oops! My bad. That was an accident. I was trying to recall all the pokemon couples and the easiest way of doing that at first was to remember which two trainers had the same pokemon. I fixed that and removed them from the list I believe. Thanks!**

* * *

 **Thanks everyone for the support! I hope I'll be able to update more often that I think I will. So many things school's asking of me... Anyways, thanks again for everything!**

* * *

 **If you ever need a list of all the pokemon the main characters have captured, check out the reference list at the beginning of the Arc.**

 **Follow, Fav, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy! :D**

 **NoSignal, out!**


	3. A Held Breath

**AN:**

 **Hey everyone! I'm truly sorry it took so long. School's been pretty stressful and brutal. Still mostly in the thick of it too. Over time I've been able to get bits and piece of this done.**

 **My schedule's still pretty tight so I still can't go back to regular updates yet. The next chapter will come when it'll come.** **However as a side note, if you ever feel the need to check on me or are curious about how far I've gotten on the next chapter, you can PM me. The only thing I ask is to not be demanding or anything of the ilk. I won't get mad, but it will stress me out. Real life before Fanfiction after all.**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Normal Talk

 _Thoughts_

 **Lucario talking unless stated otherwise**

 **Zoroark talking unless stated otherwise**

 _ **M**_ _ **ienshao talking unless stated otherwise**_

Let the journey continue...

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The light danced through the trees like fireflies, blinking as the wind moved the leaves and branches. Most of all the leaves in Kanto were starting to change colors and would soon be falling.

Ash blinked drowsy eyes open, not truly seeing the world just yet as his aura vision was the first to really register in his brain. It was then that he felt pressure in several places on his body. He concentrated and realized, Typhlosion's paw was covering his right cheek, Donphan's trunk was wrapped around one leg, Gliscor was draped over him like a blanket, and Marowak as well as Butterfree's kids were curled up and nestled against his chest, stomach and legs.

Ash sighed, letting out a noise that was a mix between contentment and minor irritation. _Now how in the heck am I going to get up without disturbing anyone?_

 _Espeon?_

 _I wanna be the very best, that no one evaaaarrrr wasssss. To catch theemm is mah_ _real test~_

Ash huffed in annoyance. Espeon was too asleep to hear him and apparently the sun dog dreamed of music.

 _Noctowl?_

 _Yes?_

 _Could you use Psychic to free me?_

 _What do you mean- oh._

Ash glanced up, sensing Noctowl peek through the branches and leaves of the tree he'd been roosting in.

 _I've got to say that's really adorable though, Ashton._

 _Are you really going to be a smart-ass now?_

 _When am I ever not one?_

Ash paused, reconsidering his past with Noctowl. _Point taken. NOW HELP!_

 _You're lucky I'm mostly Nocturnal and enjoy dusk and dawn._ Noctowl left the tree silently before beginning the careful and slow process of removing each sleeping individual and relocating them. The bird accidentally let go of Typholsion too soon and he landed on Primeape. _Oops._

 _What the actual HELL!?_

Ash cringed slightly at Primeape's loud cry, which inevitably started to wake everyone up. Typhlosion was pushed off and the mostly passive pokemon merely blinked tiredly at the fighting type.

"Easy Primeape. Noctowl make a minor mistake-"

 _It was Ash's idea._

 _You cheeky little-_

 _ **Are we going to argue on such a nice morning?**_ Meinshao asked, rising gracefully from his resting place next to a tree.

 _WILL YOU GET THE HELL OUT OF MY FLOWER!? I FEEL SO VIOLATED!_

Ash glanced over and spied Venasaur trying to pry Heracross out of his large flower. Even though his vines were much larger now from being evolved, Heracross had only grown stronger to compensate.

 _Shield your eyes, kids._ Infernape snarked, before lazily throwing a hand in front of the Caterpies' eyes.

Honedge droned and latched onto Ash's back, hoping for a free ride while he continued his nap.

 _Free loader._

 _It's an ancient ghost technique-_

 _Uh-huh… sure…_

 _Care to practice your flying slash gliding technique, friend?_ Hawlucha asked, glancing at Archeops.

 _Yeah! By the waterfall like we planned?_ The rock and flying type responded in return.

Ash watched as everyone started waking up further and beginning to do their own things. Ash hadn't yet planned a real long term training schedule, though some of the more serious personalities in his crew, like Charizard, Greninja and Sceptile had them for themselves regardless. For now, he would go get some breakfast back at home before returning to the ranch.

zz

Ash walked into the back door of his house and paused halfway to the kitchen when he saw Brock's Toxicroak reading the newspaper. The poison type turned his head slowly and gave Ash a sideways glance.

"Heh, don't mind me."

Toxicroak turned back and continued his reading as Ash walked through the doorway and into the kitchen. Brock was cooking away, moving pots and pans while Blissey was monitoring the toaster.

"Morning, Brock. Where's mom?" Ash asked before pulling up a stool to sit.

"She went out to work in the garden. She said her kale and squash needed to be harvested."

Ash hummed. "Wow, I actually didn't know mom grew kale. I've helped her pick squash before, but I always get a rash from the small spines on the vines."

"Long-sleeves and gloves, big-guy."

"I was five," Ash laughed a bit.

 _-Chack-_

Ash smiled when Blissey walked over with a plate of toast as well as jellies, honey and butter.

"Now just several more plates to go. Ash don't eat more than two slices," Brock spoke up as he flipped two pancakes at once.

"Awww…"

"I have to make enough for everyone."

"Why?"

"Ash. Who do you know makes decent food at Oak's Lab?"

"Uh…"

"Why do you think Oak visits your mom so often?"

"Point taken." Ash then got up, slipping on his jacket that had been resting on the table and snatched one of the pancakes mid-flip, using aura to keep his hand from being burnt. "Thanks Brocko. Going to go talk with Professor Oak and tell the others that you're making breakfast.

"Start with Misty and Dawn if you don't mind."

"Shrrr fing, Brrck," Ash mumbled through the pancake in his mouth as he finished putting on his jacket before heading out of the kitchen.

Ash made his way up the stairs, finishing off his pancake before quietly opening the door to the guest room.

Misty's red hair was down and wrapped like a cascading shawl around her face and upper shoulders. Togetic was resting on the other half of her pillow, Azumarill's ears were the only things peaking out of the covers and Squirtle was curled up against her chest.

Across the room, Dawn was in a very similar position except Piplup was near her chest, Pachirisu was near the pillows and Glameow was curled at the foot of the bed.

Ash walked over to Misty first. "Hey Mist. Mist." He scrunched his face up in slight perplexity. "Hey Mist is that an Ariados?"

"WHERE!?" Misty and Dawn woke up, almost at the same moment, even startling the young guardian.

"Uh… Good morning?"

Misty and Dawn looked at him for a moment before Misty gave him a grumpy glare. "Brock's on breakfast, isn't he?"

"Yep."

A triumphant smile came to her face. "Great. Now out!" She chucked a pillow at Ash, who deftly dodged and slipped out of the door gracefully.

"Yesh. You're welcome by the way!"

Misty only rolled her eyes as Dawn giggled into her hand. The water trainer looked over at Dawn. "Why'd you wake up hearing about a bug type? I mean I've gotten better… I even have a Surskit, but there are still certain bugs…"

Dawn shared a meaningful glance with a drowsy looking Piplup. "Uh… It's a long and bizarre story."

zz

Ash walked down the road for the second time that day, getting closer and closer to the lab. It was strange not having Pikachu near, but his friend was hanging out somewhere in the ranch with the rest of his crew and Ellie no doubt.

Ash stepped through the Lab's front door and noticed that no one was in the main room. "Huh. I wonder where everyone is."

"HOW IN ARCEUS' NAME DID YOU MANAGE TO CATCH A COFFEE POT ON FIRE!?"

"The coffee was taking too long to heat up so I asked Rapidash for help-"

"My poor coffee pot…"

"It's just a pot. You can get them for like five poke'."

"You have no idea how sacred coffee is to the researcher, Georgia. Don't worry Gramps. I'm sure Delia will make some."

"Paul, did you have to shout so loud?"

"I'm not very tolerant of stupidity in the early morning."

"Hey!"

Ash blinked and then chuckled softly under his breath. He made his way down the hall to the small alcove that housed a tiny kitchen for the researchers. Paul, Gary, Barry, Zoey, Georgia and Professor Oak were standing around a scorched coffee pot.

"Heh, good morning," Ash spoke, unable to hide his mirth.

"Whatever," Paul grumbled. He was wearing his normal outfit only he hadn't yet put on his pull over.

"You ready for some more training!?" Barry asked excitedly. Rapidash, who looked funny cramped behind them in the alcove, stamped a foot.

Ash nodded. "You bet. I just came to tell everyone that Brock's fixing breakfast for everyone."

"Oh? He didn't want help?" Cilan asked, popping his head out from a door some ways down the hall.

Ash shrugged. "I guess he wanted the kitchen to himself. He and Mimey have this weird rivalry when it comes to doing things around my house. So maybe he's territorial."

"That's got to be the weirdest thing-" Kenny expressed, walking out of his room's door and shutting it.

Clemont and Serena came down the hall at the same time as he'd spoken. "There is evidence that humans may have evolved from pokemon though. It's inconclusive for now-" Clemont offered.

"Indeed, that's a major part of my current research. We are wondering whether or not this genetic connection affects our relationship with pokemon. Have you ever wondered why the symbol within keystones looks like a DNA helix strand? It adds more to the idea of intelligent design and Arceus' contribution to creation-" Oak started to ramble.

"Huh, I never questioned the symbol from Mega-evolution…" Zoey paused in thought.

Ash smiled. "I'm going to check on my pokemon and make absolutely sure they've all woken up."

"You're not eating breakfast!?" Barry shouted.

"Already way ahead of you, Barry," Ash grinned and walked out.

"No way!" Barry shouted and dashed out of the room towards the front door and Ash's home.

"Do you think he'll figure out he's only wearing his pajamas any time soon?" Gary asked.

"Not until he's training," Paul answered.

Zoey only rolled her eyes and walked back towards her own room to get the rest of her things for the day.

zzz-Ash-zzz

Ash placed a hand on a nearby tree to keep his balance as the earth shook a bit. Tyranitar and Nidoking backed up a bit before crashing into each other again, pushing with all their might against one another.

Flashes of yellow, green, blue, red and white moved through the tree-line, revealing some of Ash's faster pokemon having a race.

Ash knew Professor Oak was wanting to see everyone's mega-evolutions and the older man was making his way towards Ash's location even now. Everyone had come up with their own plans for how to train and so naturally, not everyone would be training every day, Oak asking that his ranch wasn't completely destroyed also helped as well as the tired looks the Dugtrio and Digletts had been wearing.

Once the Trainer's Village near the Plateau opened up, the groups could leave Pallet town, but that wouldn't be happening until a couple weeks before the tournament.

 _Charizard, Venusaur, Blastoise, Heracross, Sceptile, Glalie, Garchomp, Pidgeot, Gengar, Tyranitar, Lucario, Scizor, Houndoom, Salamance, Gallade, Absol, and… Greninja. Come here please._

Ash waited in deep thought as his pokemon gathered. Greninja's form hadn't been identified yet as an official mega-evolution, but since the time the form had activated the very first time, several researchers had been finding similarities between typical mega-evolution and Greninja's advanced power. Ash smiled when Greninja plopped down next to him after falling silently and stealthily from a branch above.

Charizard landed, Venusaur lumbered through the undergrowth, Blastoise sauntered towards the group, and slowly each pokemon appeared from the forest, the sky, the shadows, or from the earth in Garchomp's case.

"Thanks everyone."

"I see you've brought everyone together already, hm?"

Ash looked over his shoulder and smiled at the Professor as he walked forward. Rotom was possessing what appeared to be a tablet of some kind and floated near the man's shoulder.

"Not many people can use mega-evolution and even fewer have so many pokemon that trust their trainers enough to preform it at any one time in their career, but then again, you always were one for breaking boundaries." Oak laughed slightly as Pikachu and Ellie ran up to sit beside Ash's feet.

"Yeah I guess so. So who do you want to see first?" Ash asked.

Oak hummed. "How about we start with Charizard. There are only two pokemon were know of that have two different mega-forms, but perhaps that could explain more about Greninja's particular situation. We know that mega stones can be formed in several ways, mostly involving direct or indirect power from Arceus in the form of legendary pokemon like Xerneas or meteorites from possible egg remains, we are also theorizing another possible method. A pokemon becomes strongly enough bonded to a trainer, a trainer or human that has a strong enough aura signature to help the pokemon evolve past their last form, mega evolution if you will. After that, the pokemon becomes the first generation of that specific type of mega evolution. Time passes and the power they've built up from mega-evolving becomes a stone in their body; when the pokemon passes on, the stone is fossilized and much like quartz, begins to grow in the earth, duplicating itself. After enough time has passed, one can find several 'veins' of mega-stones all over the world, wherever a first-gen evolver once lived and died. These stones allow a bonded pokemon to more easily and prematurely access the energy needed to mega-evolve and thus are activated by key stones, helping to start up the process that was once only used my aura adepts. This theory would possibly explain why dual mega-forms are possible seeing that some people would call upon their pokemon to battle different enemies which required different boosts in skills."

Ash blinked in surprise and Greninja narrowed his eyes in deep thought. "So were do key stones come from?"

"We haven't deduced that yet. Perhaps some type of stone forms in aura adepts the same way it does pokemon, however we aren't sure how likely that is given that our anatomy is more sensitive than pokemons' to foreign substances like unneeded minerals and the like."

Ash hummed before he nodded to Charizard. The pokemon nodded, locking eyes with his trainer.

"I need your aura, Charizard!" Ash shouted, clenching his pendant in his hand. A flash of bright yellow light flooded the woods. Charizard Y stood before them, spreading his enormous wings.

"We have no clue how mega evolution works for clones like Mewtwo either, unless Arceus simply had foresight to that specific situation… Its all very complicated-" Oak talked more as he studied Charizard in his new form. "Rotom make note that Ash's Charizard Y has wings with a extra inch and a half spread than average. Charizard's grown some, Ash."

"Toooooom!" Rotom cackled as data started to write itself on the tablet.

"Yeah, he's gotten much stronger. Still not as large as Gunther from the Valley but he can best him in battle."

Charizard snorted in pride before Oak forcibly opened his mouth and peered over his tongue. "His piezoelectric pads look clean and aren't too overgrown." Charizard grunted in annoyance before burning the professor with a small Ember. "Alright alright, sorry friend."

Ash laughed a bit. The Professor looked over Charizard's X form, Venusaur's mega form, Blastoise, and kept going.

"Gallade's extra addition here seems to have protective properties. It's able to better block weaker special attacks." Oak pulled the cape taunt while Gallade simply watched quietly and patiently. "Alright then."

Absol was the next to mega-evolve and Oak talked about how shiny pokemon were an interesting topic as well concerning mega-evolution. It showed that the processed didn't effect the DNA actively and it was an ability that was imbedded in pokemon long ago evolutionarily, separate from the genes that controlled fur color.

Absol flexed her wings and locked her blue eyes on Ash. "Sol."

"She has almost rose colored fur," Oak said, stroking one of her wings carefully. Houndoom barked before giving a big toothy grin. Absol only posed more proudly.

Finally Greninja was last. Ash nodded to his friend. "Greninja, I need your aura." Without touching his pendant, Ash's eyes glowed a bright blue as Greninja's form altered.

"It really is fascinating…" Oak mused, giving the pokemon a critical once over. "It's not just a minor change either. Most of the characteristics are indicative of mega-evolution."

Ash nodded.

Oak touched the semi-solid water flowing on Greninja's back, holding his dual water weapons in place. "Who knows. If our theory is correct, generations from now there could be countless Greninja using this same form to aid their trainers and friends."

Greninja bowed his head.

"I think that's all I needed. I'm going to check on some of the others who are training around the ranch," Oak explained. Rotom chattered happily as the pair walked off.

Ash looked at the pokemon near him. "You can all go back to doing whatever it is you were doing. I'm still trying to plan out the training schedule. At some point we may travel to the Tree to do some training there. Everything's still iffy."

Most all the pokemon nodded and wandered off. The only one left was Greninja.

 _Is something wrong?_ Ash asked mentally.

 _I… no… everything is fine._

Ash frowned and Greninja knew he knew that he wasn't being completely honest.

 _Okay. I'll be around. I'm checking on everyone to get some inspiration. Find me if you need anything._

Greninja watched as Ash walked off, disappearing behind foliage. The water type let out a sigh and glanced at the ground.

So many pokemon under Ash's care had once had other trainers much like himself, but unlike them, he had been the one to leave them all behind. He'd stayed with Ash for the longest out of any of the ones before, even getting the chance to evolve twice.

Something about the whole thing was haunting him. He had everything he ever wanted, power, skill, a proper challenge given to him almost always, but he wasn't as happy as he should have been.

After much thought, Greninja wondered if perhaps, hanging the threat of leaving over Ash's head had tainted his achievements. He'd used his trainer, taken advantage of his kindness and although he and Ash had patched things up, he'd yet to truly forgive himself.

zzz-Paul-zzz

"Littttttttttttttttttttt~"

"Push it a bit more. If you don't, then you'll never improve."

Litleo dug deeper and caused his Flamethrower to become brighter and hotter. Aggron in his mega form continued to cross his arms against the torrent.

"Filter appears to be helping Aggron."

"Yes, but his special defense is still low enough that a strong enough special attacker should cause problems. That's why I'm having Litleo try so hard."

"I see." Oak nodded to Rotom. "Higher specialized durability."

"Rootoom!"

Litleo finally lost strength and and fell to a laying position, panting.

Aggron uncrossed his arms and then pounded the earth to use a Rock slide.

Paul watched as Lucario dashed in front of a fearful Litleo and blocked the attack with Protect. "You see. In a real battle, Lucario wouldn't come to your rescue and no words of fear or worry from me would stop those rocks from hitting you."

Litleo looked up at his trainer before his faced turned more serious. "Lit."

"Take a break and have some of the food Brock gave us."

Litleo stood up on wobbly legs barked something happily to Aggron and Lucairo both and then trotted off slowly.

Paul glanced over and saw that Oak was looking at Gyarados in his mega form. He let out a breath before eyeing Axew fighting with Weavile. The small dragon was pinned for a moment after a combination of quick moves from the ice type. It was then the small dragons form started to glow and grow. Paul was pretty sure he heard Oak say something like, 'how delightful' before Fraxure stood before them and growled. He shook off the bit of ice that was on him and charged back at Weavile, who hadn't changed his ready expression.

"Chit chit hcit!"

Paul rose a brow and looked over to see Ninjask twitching against the side of a tree, obviously having been launched. "You okay Ninjask?"

"Chit…"

"What happened?"

The bug pointed the best he could towards the woods. Paul spied Ursaring trying to look innocent even with honey coating his face, obviously the remains of a bee's nest.

"You couldn't share some with Ninjask?"

"Grr…"

zzz-Trip-zzz

Trip listened to explosions in the distance. He knew they were coming from Iris' dragons and other pokemon since they had both walked out into the ranch at roughly the same time earlier.

The young man clenched his fist. He was determined this time not to be so easily defeated. He would've never thought that Ash could've beaten him and it seemed as though many rivals of his had made similar mistakes. More importantly though, he wanted to use what he'd learned after all this time.

Serperior's neck lowered and rested against his shoulder briefly. Trip rose a hand and rubbed the pokemon's head.

"This time will be different."

Electrike dashed past, keeping up and sometimes passing Rhyhorn. Trip grew more serious and snapped his fingers.

"Jellicent and Chandelure, Unfezant and Hitmonchan, Conkeldurr and Vanilluxe, Alakazam and Pinsir, and Serperior you're with Sliggoo."

A rally of affirmative calls resulted from his request.

zzz-Misty and Gary-zzz

"Is there a reason you're watching me? Don't you have anything better to do, _professor_?" Misty asked snarkily as Gary lounged on a nearby rock. Misty was near the water, watching her pokemon swim.

"Eh."

"You want something, don't you?" Misty asked narrowing her eyes. She noticed Gary grow a bit nervous.

"What would give you an idea like that?"

"You're sitting here with me for starters. What's wrong?"

"Uh… What do you think I should get Leaf for her birthday. It's coming up."

Misty rose a brow, not fully buying his answer but she replied. "Well think about things she likes or things that would remind her about you two being friends or being together."

Gary nodded. "Alright." He rolled off the rock and started to walk off. "See ya, red."

Misty shrugged after the young man had left and rubbed Azumarill's head. "Something's bothering him… but then again I think even here we're all a bit bothered by something right now." She pulled out a shiny stone and looked over at Togetic, who was eyeing her and the stone.

A bit aways Gary stared at the poke ball piece in his hand. Some of the trainers were training and some were relaxing a bit that day. Misty was doing her own type of bonding before training harder later, but him?

He felt he had so much more to prove. He had to work even harder to make up for time he felt he'd lost.

Gary pulled his satchel over his shoulder and started out. He had to find a place in the ranch to train. "Just you wait."

zzz-Viridian city / A day later-zzz

"You sure this is a good idea? Your house isn't big enough to hold all of us, right?" Jimmy asked.

"What makes you say that, hm?" Leaf questioned in return, giving the boy a sly glare.

Jimmy started to stutter. "Now wait a second. It was a reasonable question!"

Leaf rolled her eyes when Marina started to giggle at Jimmy's flustered face. Vincent grew a bit gloomy at the same moment as well.

"The lab has a bunch of rooms for visiting researchers and what not. I'm sure professor Oak won't mind," Leaf explained.

"That makes more since. Dad's lab has a few rooms like that, but I'm sure Oak's has a bunch more," Brendan added before looking about. "Hey, where'd Samurai go?"

Everyone paused to look around and try to spy their oddly dress companion, only to see him standing on the edge of Viridian forest, which they'd just come from.

"Samurai?" Calem asked in honest confusion.

The bug type trainer turned his head and gave a calm smile to the others. "Sorry, I was just recalling a set of battles from long ago. Let us continue."

Calem looked at Tierno and Trevor and the two other boys merely shrugged.

"Let's hurry. If we can go fast then we can make it to Pallet town before sunset," Leaf exclaimed, motioning everyone to follow.

Astrid smirked. "Someone sure is excited to get home. Hoping a certain researcher and his group made it back?"

Leaf paused in her walking and everyone slowed to a stop behind her.

"It was just a jo-"

"Oh crud."

Alain rose a brow. "What now?"

Leaf turned to look at her friends, face turning a faint blue. "The others. They could've beaten us to Pallet and there will be no more rooms…"

A wind blew past.

"What if we beat them there though?" Mairin asked calmly.

"Maybe, but what if we get there and they have all the places?" Shauna questioned worriedly in return.

"We can house three others not counting me in my house, four if two people double up on the queen in the guest room."

Jimmy flinched when Marina turned to the group with an open mouth. "For the love of Arceus, control yourself, woman!"

Marina blinked before her face grew red with frustration. "Jimmy! How could you think that of me!?"

"I uh… oops. Reflex?"

Vincent cackled to himself and rubbed his hands together greedily. "Oh boy, trouble in paradise."

"You are a strange little man," Samurai commented, being the only one to notice Vincent's aside.

"Err…"

"Back to what we're going to do!" Assunta bellowed, snapping everyone to attention.

"Wow. Impressive," Leaf remarked, nodding to the other girl. "Anyways… Maybe the professor will have other rooms and then perhaps some of the families in town will offer to house some of you guys. Good news is there are only three people from Pallet town in the tournament at all, so there shouldn't be any other groups that could drop in."

"Well seems like problem solved to me," Brendan answered.

Calem yawned. "Let's just hurry so I can have dinner."

The group soon picked up their pace and continued heading towards their destination.

zzz-On a ship in the southern Kanto Sea-zzz

"Your dad has a fancy personal battle facility?" Dingo asked leaning over the railing of the ship, looking bored.

"Yes for the last time. My parents got rich early in life and we ended up moving to a warmer region when I was younger. It's like a permanent vacation home," Damian explained.

"Supposedly they hold unofficial contests here. That's kinda dumb," Ursula snorted, looking at a pamphlet.

Greg looked away from the others and focused more on the electronic sign on the boat that read _Approaching Terracotta Town_. After they'd succeeded in getting their final token and registering at the Plateau, the five had left the rest of their group to train on their own.

"Well luckily we aren't trying to get better at contests," Dingo snarked slightly, only to cower from Ursula when she glared at him.

"We need opponents though. If we only fight one another then we won't get any better," Shamus expressed calmly, leaning against the railing with his eyes closed.

"No problem. Some of dad's friends used to be decent trainers and unofficial contests aren't banned so there will still be trainers coming here even if not as many as normal."

"Okay and?" Greg continued, only to receive a sly smirk and toss of Damian's blue hair in return.

"Duh, we lure them to dad's compound with the opportunity to battle trainers like us and if anyone wants to watch the battles then we'll ask for a fee-"

"No. We can't have people watching us, letting so many strangers in to battle us is already enough. We need to have surprises in store else we will be at a disadvantage," Greg cut Damian off.

The blue haired boy crossed his arms in annoyance. "Whatever."

Ursula hummed. "I guess that'll do. I'm more concerned about how to fight a freak like Ketchum though."

Shamus grit his teeth. "There is no way. He can practically know what you're going to do before you do it. I don't see how that isn't cheating."

"Who knows, maybe we'll figure something out. I wouldn't worry about it for now," Dingo spoke up, waving a hand lazily.

They all fell silent as their ship sailed closer to the island. They never noticed a figure dressed in dark clothing, watching them from the above railing.

zzz-LaRousse City Train Station-zzz

" _Now entering LaRousse City. Now entering LaRousse City."_

"This is a great plan. I don't know why the others didn't want to join us," Conway spoke, adjusting his glasses.

"They probably just wanted to visit their homes that's all. I'd imagine most of us would've split up if we weren't from the same place," Rafe answered.

"Yeah, you're actually the only one not from South City here," Sid chuckled.

Conway smirked. "I could've gone home, but passing up on the opportunity to train at the Battle Tower was too good to pass up. I know my family will understand. It's just my way after all."

"It is logical, given the situation." Rebecca added

"I know it's a perfect fit," Conway continued looking at Rebecca purposefully. The purple haired girl rolled her eyes and looked back at her computer.

Audrey and Kathryn giggled and Rafe smiled at his happy sisters.

zz

In Sootopolis city the flowers on the great tree in its center started to glow faintly.

zzz-Tohjo Falls-zzz

"Cremini town is just past that next hill and the Battle Tower is close to the lake on the south side," Anabel spoke, pointing before the other three girls with her. Out of their group, they were the only four native to the Kanto-Johto region.

"This is going to be so great. You have an awesome facility, don't you, Anabel?" Casey asked excitedly.

"Yep."

"I agree, Anabel has some very interesting facilities in her compound," Lucy agreed.

"Anything better than yours, Lucy?" Macy asked.

"Not particularly, but there is one thing she can tutor us in, plus I think the more natural surroundings here rather than in a larger city will be beneficial to our training."

"What can she train us in?" Casey questioned, stopping her excited jig in honest confusion.

"How to speak with your pokemon using empathy."

An excited gleam came to Macy and Casey's eyes.

"It won't be easy, but you could learn it if you have the patience and determination."

The girls continued walking and talking happily as they grew closer to Anabel's home.

zz

Deep in the basement of Bell Tower, Morty sat in silent meditation, never noticing a small sapling in the back, letting off a faint light.

zzz-Striation City-zzz

"I guess I should've guessed that they wouldn't be here. Chili sure has made good friends," Coronia sighed with a wistful smile on her face.

"Hopefully you'll get to battle. That will be a true moment between the two of you," Maeve spoke in response.

"Yes."

"So we need to find a place to train."

Coronia smiled and turned to look at her friend who had an Eevee on her shoulder. "Hmmm… I… I think we should head to Driftveil. They have a brilliant training facility."

"It could be crowded…"

"Yeah, let's try though and then find someplace else if that doesn't work out."

"Eevui!" Eevee cried out, making both girls laugh.

The turned to start off with Coronia giving one last look over her shoulder at the Striation gym. She smiled and then hurried off after Maeve.

zz

Victini sat in the center of the Eindoak castle watching as the crystals within pulsed every once in a while.

His ears dipped slightly. "Tini…"

zzz-Luminose City-zzz

"Ahhhh…" Xavier expressed, collapsing on the couch in the room. "What do you think, boys?"

"What do we think? Dude this is incredible!" Tyson exclaimed and trotted over to the large bay window which lead to a balcony. His Meowth followed him out.

"Got to say. This is a sweet crib, X," Jon added.

"Very neat," Virgil agreed as his Eevee jumped from his shoulder and landed on the couch's arm.

"What are our plans for training though? I thought you had a plan for that," Tobias spoke up quietly.

Xavier huffed. "Do you ever relax?"

"Yes. I just value training greatly."

"Yeah, X. I mean he actually got to Cynthia after winning his League. None of us got far enough to battle the Champion in our region. Someone who can do that probably trains a lot," Jon explained.

"Okay, yeesh. I didn't need a summary. We can check out Le Wow and Sushi High Roller."

"Wait you're a member at both?" Tyson asked, mouth watering slightly. "I love checking out food joints when I travel.

"Meowth!" Meowth agreed.

Xavier chuckled. "Then you have arrived in the right place."

zz

The Carbinx watched with their queen as the diamonds sparkled like living creatures above them. Not too far from Geosenge, a taller sapling unfurled some more leaves as well as its first flower.

zzz-Alamos Town-zzz

"Are you sure you've never seen this thing growing here before?" Kai asked, raising an unbelieving brow in Tonio's direction.

"No. I swear it's never been here before," Tonio answered studying the strange ethereal looking sapling in the corner of his study, closely.

"Hmm… Maybe it grew while we were traveling around with Ash and the others," Alice offered.

"I think it's just a weed," Alberto huffed.

Alice shared a glanced with Allegra. "Let me," Allegra suggested before giving the Baron a glare.

"Okay… fine… not a weed." Alberto sweated nervously.

"It doesn't look like anything I've ever seen…" Maury hummed, scratching his head.

Eventually the six left, following Tonio to the library in town to research the plant. They didn't get to see it start to glitter with a white light.

zzz-Michina Town-zzz

"Sheena, are you okay?" Kevin asked. Sheena paused from softly rubbing her now slightly distended abdomen.

"Oh yes. I'm fine…"

"It's just-" Kevin continued, knowing there was more.

Sheena sighed. "Something is going to happen. I don't know how to describe it, but it feels like the world has taken a great inhale and is holding it."

Kevin seemed perplexed. "That is odd. I hope that it's not true."

"Yes. Me too."

Kevin then guided his wife back towards the covered part of the temple. Below the large area that was a ledge and open to the outside air and gave one a view of all of Michina, a medium sized tree grew up halfway from the rocks below that helped support the ledge. It's flowers began to glow with a faint light.

zzz-Agate Village-zzz

A small shoot of a young tree grew out from the hole on the top of the Relic Stone. It pulsed and a chiming melody from a guardian of that forest echoed through the trees like a phantom…

The tree began to glow.

zzz-Fiore Temple-zzz

A fairly large tree leaned against the stone workings of the temple; using the blocks like steps, it had filled in areas with both bark and crystal. The flowers nestled in its branches started to shine.

zzz-Almia Castle-zzz

A frail sapling blew in the frigid cold. It pulsed weakly with light and looked quite sickly in the low temperatures. A Vaporeon cooed before trying to water the dying plant; a pair of Vulpix used Sunny day at the same time as many other pokemon watched quietly.

zzz-Oblivia Ruins-zzz

A large tree, with its massive roots dipping in and out of the pools of water, sat within the ruins. It's flowers began to slowly open.

zzz-Tilikule Island-zzz

Roots latched onto the rocky island and twisted into the depths of the ocean to search for a hold on the Earth, a tree with all its leaves and shinning flowers drifted in the ocean breeze.

zzz-Outside of Rota-zzz

"N? N? Helllllloooo, N?"

N blinked and glanced back at his traveling partner. Touko placed her hands on her hips and gave the boy an amused look. "Man you were totally zoned out there."

N blinked and then chuckled softly. "Sorry, Touko. I don't know what it was. Just a feeling I suppose…"

"Come on. Rota is this way. If you want to talk with people about Aura Guardians you aren't going to find a better place."

"Of course. I'm glad we're getting closer."

The two continued to walk until they stopped at the top of a hill. There they were awestruck by the view of Rota, but more so by the spectacular view of the Tree of Beginning, which seemed to gleam in the light from the sun.

zzz-Pallet Town-zzz

"Well now… this is going to be a predicament…" Oak mumbled as fourteen otter trainers filed into the main lab room, actually starting to put a dent in the wide space it provided.

"Four people can come with me to my house and maybe there's enough room for everyone else here?" Leaf asked more than stated.

Oak hummed. "Well, nine is still a large number... I know." He looked over at Delia. "Delia, do you know how many of your friends would be willing to house a trainer for the duration?"

Alain and some of the others blinked in shock at the idea.

"Well yes. I know Judy and her husband wouldn't mind it. They actually get a bit lonely. Masae might be willing to house maybe a couple of the quieter ones."

"Funny, since she can be such a loud mouth…" Tracey murmured under his breath.

"Well that's great. Maybe we can figure something out after all," Oak declared happily.

zz

"Hey mom, dad!" Leaf shouted happily. "I'm home and I brought some friends!"

Leaf's mother came into the front hall, her brown hair was pulled into a bun and she was a bit shorter than Delia as well as a bit older looking. Her bright grey eyes twinkled happily. "Oh wonderful! I was wondering if you'd be home soon since Ashton and his friends all made it back." She then noticed Jimmy, Marina, Vincent and Assunta. "Oh hello there, my name's Hazel, you can call me that or Mrs. Tsuri."

Jimmy and the others began introducing themselves and when Marina mentioned her name, Hazel went into a spiel about when she met Goldenridge and Crystal once when they were visiting Redrick.

When the others went up to claim rooms, Jimmy and Vincent both watched Marina and Assunta strut into the guest room with the queen and shut the door.

"Glad that was solved," Jimmy murmured.

Vincent huffed, put out, before Leaf walked up the stairs and pointed down the hall. "The bunks are in that room. My cousins used to use it."

Jimmy and Vincent walked towards their room only to deadpan at the sight of the tiny beds not fit for almost grown young men.

"For the record. I blame you," Vincent grumbled.

Jimmy only sighed.

zz

"And if it weren't for me, they would've never found those starter pokemon and the mayor's son wouldn't have gotten to go on his journey." Masae paused with a content sigh. "Yep. I'm kinda a local hero."

Alain shared a glance with both Astrid and Mairin.

"No need to be shy, kids. I may be amazin' but I want to be treated like the common man. I do understand if you're star struck though."

Alain felt his eye twitch, but he kept his passive face.

zz

"Welcome trainers!" Judy exclaimed excitedly.

"Thank you for this Judy, Jonathan," Delia expressed as Calem, Shauna, Trevor and Tierno walked in and greeted the elderly couple.

"It's no trouble at all dear. We're happy to have come company and goodness they're in the Master Challenge. You don't get a chance like this every day."

Jonathan chuckled and shifted the pipe in his mouth. "Now which one of you is going to be the next Master, hm? You know you'll have to get through the prides of Pallet first."

Tierno suddenly spun and did a quick spin and pose. "Don't you worry. We're more than ready to train and battle against Ash and the others, just you wait!"

zz

"Heh, I guess we made things a bit more complicated, huh?" Brendan asked with a smile towards the others lounging in the lab, eating some snacks Brock had made to hold everyone off until dinner.

"I say the more the merrier. Things will be even more busy around here," Ritchie replied with a kind smile, which Brendan and Samurai returned.

 _Ring ring ring. Ring ring ring. Phone call._ _Ring ring ring. Ring ring ring. Phone call._

Tracey picked up the phone, being the closest and everyone saw his face turn perplexed. "Um… okay." He held out the phone and looked up. "It's for you, Ash, from Rota."

zzz-Rota-zzz

"And why isn't the League calling me to report this again?" Riley asked, slight frustration coloring his voice. He wasn't mad at the caller, no, but merely frustrated that the League hadn't contacted him with this sooner.

"I'm really sorry Sir Riley. Honestly we just started getting reports of something off not long ago. A squad had reported that another legendary was missing, but the League wanted Bill and I to run it through the other field researchers. We've studied the photos they provided and assuming the intel is also true, then these are indeed pictures of another legend."

"Alright," Riley sighed, leaning against the large marble wall next to the older model phone within the royal's wing. "Mrs. Oak-Blaustein-"

"Daisy, please."

"Daisy, which legend is it? Did you figure that out?"

"Bill's certain it's Yvetal. Not many legendaries have such a dark rich red hue coupled with black like it does."

Riley felt his lungs seize. _They managed to capture Yvetal? But then if my research is right_ _…_ "Daisy?"

"Hm, yes?"

"Thank you. I need to make another call."

"Of course. Be careful Sir Knight."

"Much Obliged."

 _-Click-_

Riley took a couple deep breaths, trying to calm himself before he took started to dial a number. "He'll know where Ash is."

zz

Everyone watched as Ash walked over and took the phone. The result was predictable, in that everyone started watching Ash's back, tension thick in the air.

"…" Ash listened before a dark looked came to his face and one of his fists clenched. "They're sure? Yeah… Yeah I guess Daisy and Bill are pretty good at that… Damn it. I'll get there as soon as I can. Right. Thanks, Riley."

 _-Click-_

Ash looked over his shoulder and frowned at the others. "Team Rocket's captured Yvetal and Riley's really anxious about it, more than normal, says it's urgent that I go to Rota."

"Then we'll come with you," Misty spoke up, rising from her chair she'd been resting in.

Ash smiled and shook his head. "No. It's alright. It's just a meeting. I'll go to Rota and talk with Riley about what's happened and what we should do next. If it gets more serious I'll call you all. I was wanting to train some at the Tree anyways." Ash gave a half-smile. "I'll be back before you know it, so you all just keep training, alright? I don't want to beat you all too badly." Ash gave a cheeky grin at that.

"Yeah right Ash. I'm going to be the one to beat you!" Barry declared, leaping up in the process.

Misty frowned slightly. "Are you sure?"

Ash smiled and nodded before walking over to hold her hands. "Positive."

zz

Delia and the others watched as Ash mounted Charizard, Pikachu and Ellie climbing up to join him.

"I'll transport my other pokemon to the Tree when I get to Rota, Professor."

"Alright my boy. Travel safe!" Oak replied.

Charizard flapped his wings once, then a couple more times and before long, Ash was but a orange fleck in the sky.

zzz-Unknown Location-zzz

"Is everything running as planned?" Giovanni asked, walking towards through a automatic door. Matori kept up behind him as he neared a busy Xerosic.

"Yes sir. The bit of info was leaked and the agents are making their way with the equipment. Vane is heading out with them all in a couple hours."

"Good." Giovanni looked down as Xerosic turned and presented the man with a tube of liquid.

"This is by far my greatest creation. This is will make the Expansion Suit look like a joke! HA!"

"And you're sure it will work?"

"Positive, sir."

Giovanni nodded before turning and walking out again. Luckily his other leaders like Archer were checking in on all their other projects to make sure things were moving smoothly. He happened to pass by the cafeteria and noticed a certain trio segregating themselves from the others, even if Cassidy was bothering them with something trivial at the moment.

"James, Jessie, Meowth."

The cafeteria grew completely silent at his voice. The trio looked at each other before getting up and hurrying to follow the already moving boss and secretary.

"Yes, boss?" Jessie asked.

"There's something coming up that I think you'll want to be apart of. Consider it a gift from me to you. If everything goes perfectly, then you'll be regarded as Admins from this point on."

James, Jessie and Meowth glanced at each other in a mix of emotions, joy, disappointment, curiosity. Did they want to really leave Team Rocket, when they were finally getting something they'd dreamed of for so long?

"What exactly do you need us to do?" James asked, unable to hide the slight dread in his voice.

Giovanni either didn't notice or didn't care. "You'll find out later. Go to sub-level nine and find Vane and his forces. Jeremy and he will inform you about the mission at their leisure."

With that James, Jessie and Meowth wandered off.

zzz-Tree of Beginning-zzz

Mew sat in the middle of the tree staring up at the mosaic of crystals. She could sense danger coming and she couldn't be here to face it. Not now anyways. She would be needed later. That was what Arceus believed anyways.

She slowly closed her eyes as her body started to become see-through. Blue and green orbs of light floated from her body and entered the tree's crystals as she seemed to disappear. She and the tree were one again. Even if it would only be for a short time, the tree would finally return the favor of its guardian's protection after so many millennia.

A final "Mew~" echoed through the oddly quiet domain.

* * *

 **Well then. Not much really to say here. I'm sorry there's not a ton of action, but this chapter was needed to help set what happens next into motion.**

 **Thanks to all of you that have stuck with me!**

* * *

 **Answers to Questions:**

 **doglover500: When Ash felt something bad was going on was it the mewtwo's?**

 **NoSignal: Yeah, he felt Mewtwo's crystal get broken, but he didn't know that was what had happened.**

 **Great: PS Team Rocket still doesnt know that Ash is Red's son. right?**

 **NoSignal: No, Team Rocket still doesn't know Ash is Red's son.**

 **NoSignal to Legolas Dragon Ranger: Sorry I couldn't get this out sooner. School is terrible right now, bleh.**

 **QUEENSPELLER67: Wait, you're Christian?**

 **NoSignal: Yes I am :)**

 **takedigi: You will summarize the six months before the next round?**

 **Will they come out fighting all the characters of the two groups?**

 **NoSignal: There will be a time skip eventually. I'm not sure that can happen. Organizing a tournament is actually more difficult than it seems. I'm still planning how those battles will be organized.**

 **Glad you enjoy the story!**

 **Kouji-wolf: Didn't the second group stop by Kiloude before flying to Kanto? Which means they shouldn't have gotten to Vermillion at the same time as Ash's group. Did they just not stay very long in Kiloude and arrive in Vermillion while the first group was wandering the festival?**

 **Is Leaf's group going to train in Pallet as well? Or will they train elsewhere and just visit once or twice?**

 **NoSignal: Thank you for alerting me to that. I was able to fix some of those issues, even if they weren't perfect fixes. Tada, Leaf's group has arrived!**

 **Guest: In this chapter, Zoey used a Houndour. Was that supposed to be Houndoom like on your list from chapter 1?**

 **NoSignal: Thank you greatly for alerting me to that. It's so hard keeping track of these things. The Master Challenge has taught me a lot about planning and organization. I plan to streamline this info better whenever I write the Anime ReWrite. Thank again!**

 **NoSignal to Symphony of Jacks: Yep, Kouji-wolf alerted me to that problem as well. I tried to fix it some. Happy that you're excited to see more :)**

 **Draco Lightning: so does this mean Misty will have a togekiss soon?**

 **NoSignal: Maybe maybe not ;) Glad you're enjoying the story!**

 **Sparkydragon98: How about you have Gary and Zach battle each other in the tournament?**

 **NoSignal: Unfortunately Zach isn't in the Master Challenge. He wasn't talented enough to be invited, lol. However! Zach will have a much bigger role in the Anime Rewrite. He will have a bigger more complex backstory with Ash, Leaf and Gary as well as a complicated relationship with them as the Anime goes on. I may have Zach appear again sometime in the Master Challenge, but he may not. :)**

* * *

 **Thanks everyone for the support! I hope I'll be able to update more often that I think I will. So many things school's asking of me... Anyways, thanks again for everything!**

* * *

 **If you ever need a list of all the pokemon the main characters have captured, check out the reference list at the beginning of the Arc.**

 **Follow, Fav, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy! :D**

 **NoSignal, out!**


	4. Conversations, Interrogations, and Deals

**AN:**

 **Hey there everyone! Sorry again for the long wait. I just got finished with finals a week ago and have been trying to recover from my brutal semester. Just one more semester to go, plus a scary thesis that haunts my sleep.**

 **Anyways, the big announcement I'm going to make here is good news somewhat. I'm no longer going to be updating Pondus Omnium and Master Challenge at the same time. I originally started updating them at the same time to show my dedication to both stories, but now I feel like that's not working anymore. More often than not I finish a Pondus Omnium chapter first and then that chapter sits for a week or more for Master Challenge to catch up. I think I end up rushing the Master Challenge chapter because I get both excited and worried about letting the Pondus chapter sit and not be published as soon as it could.**

 **In short, My two stories won't be updating at the same time anymore. This way I can give more un-pressured time to the Master Challenge if I feel the need and Pondus Omnium won't be held back from publishing. So if you see one story get updated and not the other from this point on, don't think I've abandoned either story. :)**

 **My schedule is still not going to return to normal until Summer most likely. Even though it's Christmas break for me, I want to rest some (I had two writing courses during the semester as well as a still ongoing thesis that is over my head). I hope you understand.**

 **On a side note, I'm publishing a series of drabbles and oneshots soon for crossovers and other blurbs/plot bunnies that won't leave me alone. So look for that if you're interested!**

 **That's all, sorry for the long AN!**

 **Thanks for your patience! Enjoy! :D**

* * *

Normal Talk

 _Thoughts_

 **Lucario talking unless stated otherwise**

 **Zoroark talking unless stated otherwise**

 _ **M**_ _ **ienshao talking unless stated otherwise**_

Let the journey continue...

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Spiderwebbing arcs of light flashed across the sky, outlining clouds and frothing waves on the ocean surface. A combination of raindrops and tiny streams of water poured down from the top of the cave entrance and into the wild ocean below.

 _Well it was bearable until the lightning started._

 _I could handle it._ Charizard snorted.

 _You really just like to try to kill yourself with your ego, huh?_ Pikachu joked.

 _Zip it, mouse._ Charizard snapped.

 _I mean… I could draw the lightning…_ Ellie murmured.

 _No its okay, Ellie. You would be worn out long before we got to Rota. Besides, there's no real rush yet._

Charizard, Pikachu and Ellie all looked worriedly at their trainer, noticing the forlorn look on his face.

 _Hey, pal?_

 _Yeah Pikachu?_

 _You know everything will turn out okay, right?_

Ash nodded slowly before looking back out at the storm. Apparently these types of storms had been amassing near the Orange Islands frequently and had then been slowly spreading out and cropping up in other places around the world. Ash stretched and leaned back against a sitting Charizard's stomach as Pikachu and Ellie ran over to curl up in his lap.

"We'll head out when the lighting moves off."

"Mwrawwwrrr…"

"Pika!"

"Chu!"

zzz-Pallet Town / Professor Oak's Lab-zzz

"You want some tea, Misty?"

Misty paused from looking out of the dark window to look up at Bianca, who was giving her a bright smile. Rain rattled the window panes and it sounded like a continuous torrent. The water type trainer nodded. "Yeah I like the sound of that."

"Okay! One second." Bianca then trotted off down the hallway, to where some of the other trainers were talking in the alcove. Practically everyone had been forced inside when the rains had started and even the more stubborn members of the bunch had retreated inside as the storm had only gotten stronger. Most of Leaf's team members were in their temporary homes with the exception of Samurai and Brendan.

Across from the chair she was sitting in, Zoey was lounging on the couch, reading a Coordinator's magazine. The tomboy looked over at Misty and sighed. "He's probably hanging out in the cave somewhere, waiting for the storm to die down a bit. Give Ash a bit more credit than that. He's learned… some."

Misty smirked at Zoey's harmless jab. "I do wonder sometimes."

"Misty, women in general wonder about the mental sanity of men and to be fair they probably do the same thing."

"You bet! I mean girls are nuts, well most of them anyways," Max expressed as he walked past, heading towards Oak and Tracey's study area slash library. After he vanished, Misty and Zoey locked eyes and laughed.

"Here! Here! Pass it here!" Cameron suddenly rushed out from the darkened halls with Barry and an absolutely furious Paul on both of their tails.

"Are you wanting to be buried six feet under!?" Paul barked as Barry passed something through the air into Cameron's waiting arms.

"Of course not, pal! That would be counter-productive."

Zoey perked up a brow. "Wow I didn't know you knew that word, Barry."

"Hey! I don't need the peanut gallery right now."

Paul stopped marching and glared at Cameron briefly, who was staying very close to the entrance to the library incase Paul started chasing them again. "Are you imbeciles going to give me back my pokedex or am I going to have to make you give it back?"

"Oh come on! We just wanna check it out and see what you've seen!" Cameron whined in a childish manner.

Paul sighed and turned to calmly walk back the way he'd come. "Fine, whatever, but if I don't find it in my room by dinner then I'll be mad."

"You weren't mad already?" Barry asked in confusion.

Paul looked back over his shoulder. "Nope." He then left through the doorway.

Barry frowned in an exaggerated and comical fashion. "He's just so…"

At that moment Tracey power walked past, clenching a pen in his teeth and carrying several bookmarked books and loose papers in one arm. The other was holding a phone to his ear. "Erm goode Daize, jush busie."

Misty cocked her brow. "Daisy?" She smiled and snatched Tracey's phone from his hand as he passed, startling the Watcher and making him let go of the pen and a few papers.

"Hey!"

Misty put the phone to her ear. "Hey Daisy."

"Little Sis? Oh, what's up!"

"Nothing much. We're all stuck inside while a storm blows over."

"Ah. What happened to my boyfriend?"

"He's trying to pick his ton of books and such back up."

"Aw, he's working so hard!"

Everyone nearby, except for Cameron, who was skimming through Paul's pokedex, could hear Daisy since she'd increased her volume.

"Daisy, it's not that interesting-" Tracey expressed before putting the pen behind his ear.

"Yes it is! Just because we all know Professor Oak like a grandpa doesn't mean it takes away from the fact that you're working with a famous researcher! He had to agree to keep you by the way."

Misty laughed as Tracey lit up like a firecracker. Barry put an arm around the young man and wiggled his eyebrows. "Look at you."

"Well I've got to go. Dewgong's been acting funny. Love you sis, love you Trace."

"Love you, Daisy." Misty and Tracey spoke at the same time before the tell-tale click signaled she'd hung up. Misty smirked and handed Tracey his phone.

"I've got to go get a couple things and check them out against these other documents, but Delia called and Brock, Dawn, and she are coming over with lunch," Tracey informed before slipping away.

"Lunch?" Cameron asked and perked up finally.

"Took you long enough," Zoey snorted in jest.

Cameron only grinned. "Hey Barry, did you know that Paul actually got close enough to a Shaymin to record some data?"

"Shaymin? Cool. Move over. I wanna see." Barry pranced over and started looking at the device with the other boy.

Zoey only sighed. "I guess we should be happy that they haven't destroyed anything. They are technically trapped in a confined space."

"Sorry Misty!" Bianca yelped running into the room. "Everyone was making warm drinks and we only have one stove to heat water on since somebody destroyed Mr. Oak's coffee pot."

Barry blanched as his girlfriend leaned down to give Misty the tea.

"It's fine, Bianca. I wonder who could've been stupid enough to break a coffee pot?" Misty asked, none too subtly looking behind her at Barry.

"Oh geez. He must be a real piece of work!" Cameron spoke, grinning like a fool while locking eyes with the blond.

"Traitor." Barry grumbled to the brunette.

Everyone jumped when the door slammed open and Alain, Astrid and Mairin trudged in. "I can't do it. She just won't stop talking," Alain muttered in frustration as the two girls behind him shut the door behind them.

"She's nice though," Mairin piped in.

"Even if she's a major braggart," Astrid snorted.

Misty laughed. "You guys were put with Masae, right? You poor people."

Alain grumbled and collapsed into a chair dripping wet.

"You could've stayed under Alakazam's Psychic shield, Alain," Astrid snorted.

Alain only groaned.

"Alain was too busy trying to get far away from Masae-san," Mairin giggled.

Zoey stretched. "Well stay if you like of course. Delia, Brock and Dawn are coming over with food soon, so you'll get a meal."

All three of their faces seemed to lighten at the news and Misty merely smiled.

zzz-Rota-zzz

Through the drizzling rain, an orange pokemon soared towards the castle. The guards tensed until they saw the blinding sight of blue aural signal shining from the mount's back. The great pokemon landed on a balcony in the royal's quarter and was returned in a quick red flash of light. Another massive blue light followed before it stopped completely.

Within the castle, Riley and Ilene waited in the throne room patiently. "Are you absolutely certain you're right? I mean the entire theory is a bit of a long shot to be honest Sir Gen."

"Believe me. I hope I'm wrong," Riley replied before glancing towards the entrance of the room, drawing Ilene's attention as well. Ash walked in quickly, having already removed his jacket and hat in his suite. Pikachu and Ellie ran at his heels loyally.

"So Riley, what's the problem that's got you so upset. I mean other than the obvious turmoil." Ash added quietly.

Riley let out a sigh as the younger Guardian approached. "Remember how Robles is AZ's brother from legend and do you also remember the details behind Yvetal's origins?"

Ash nodded calmly, not quite making the connection.

"What if I told you there was a way for Robles or Aluid to absorb Yvetal's life-force?"

Ash blinked in shock and glanced at Ilene who merely looked forlorn. "Wait. Why would he do that?" Then suddenly it hit him like a ton of bricks. "Neikan… He was tainted by Neikan all those years ago. When he tried to have Yvetal kill him, he accidentally was affected by some of Neikan and his servants' essence that was locked away in Yvetal's body."

"Precisely," Riley answered grimly. "I'm concerned that that has been one of his major goals all along and Neikan's old desires have greatly influenced the man that was once Aluid over generations."

"He'll be an unbelievably strong Dark One if he succeeds," Ash murmured. Pikachu and Ellie's ears both drooped.

"Yes. I fear that even you and me working together against his assault wouldn't be enough," Riley expressed.

"Right…" Ash paused and closed his eyes, trying to refocus. "What would he have to do to absorb Yvetal's life-force and regain Neikan and the others' essences?"

"He needs all of the orbs to be active, seeing as they were what caused Neikan and his followers to enter their energy state after death so to speak. Then he needs a Prison bottle to help with the actual extraction process."

"Well then we can just keep him off course by hiding these," Ash said, pulling the remaining orbs from his bag. "Technically I shouldn't let them leave me, seeing at I'm somehow keeping them _pure_ , but I think being in a place like this with all the wonderful aura around, via the Tree, should be enough."

Riley finally pulled his eyes from the beautiful gems before nodding. Ilene finally spoke up, "Even if Rota couldn't completely defend against Giovanni and Robles' forces as it were, our army can at least hold them off before reinforcements arrive."

"That's what I was thinking." Ash grinned. "I figure we just have to wait them out. Eventually they'll slip up and we'll figure out where their base is. Then we'll be the ones with the advantage."

Ilene smiled. "I like your positivity Sir Ketchum."

Ash laughed a bit and rubbed behind his head as a slightly more solemn look crossed his face. "Well. I guess I've just been a bit tired of being negative." Ash then nodded to both of his allies. "I'm going to go take a nap until morning. I transferred all my pokemon to the Tree in one go once I got here and it wore me out."

"Of course. Sleep well my knight," Ilene imparted.

"And I'll store these in the vault," Riley spoke, lifting the orbs.

"Thanks your majesty, Riley." Ash then turned and ran off, with his two mice right behind.

"It concerns me that he is so young and yet he must be worried about such things as this in our time," Ilene murmured as Riley walked off.

"Yes, but there were men and perhaps a few rebellious women that marched off younger than he," Riley replied with sadness tinting his voice. "Hopefully it won't be a problem once Team Rocket is taken care of."

"I hope." Ilene let out a breath and touched her ancestor's pendant that rested against her chest. "Is this how you felt?"

zzz-Team Rocket-zzz

They marched silently through rough brush and thick forests. Vane was at the head with Jeremy, who had argued long and hard with Vane to be allowed to come for some strange reason that the Trio couldn't decipher. So far none of the three had figured out what they were all doing and of course most of the grunts didn't have a clue either.

The only thing they did know was they were wearing strange one piece outfits that they had been forced to wear. Even Meowth was made to wear a collar of some kind. They were similar to their typical uniforms, but were slick and covered in strange tech-looking lines. "Hey Meowth you have any idea about where we are?" Jessie murmured quietly.

"Just somewhere on or near the Kanto-Johto border. Other than that, I've got nothin'."

Suddenly, they clammed up when Vane spoke at the edge of the forest they were in and halted their progress. "Listen up! We're about to move deep into enemy territory. It's possible they have patrols or watchtower stations in place. Once we go in, there is no mercy. You see someone, you take them out. We can't have anyone getting away and alerting others to our presence. Preferably, we won't be spotted at all."

"Uh sir, if I may, where exactly are we heading?" A random grunt asked.

Vane didn't speak and simply pulled a branch next to him out of the way, revealing the Tree of Beginning.

Jessie, James and Meowth glanced at each other nervously before Vane interrupted their silent exchange.

"Activate your suits now by placing your hand over the com unit near your waist. Your sight will become a bit blurry, but that's normal with most cloaking devices."

If anyone had been watching the large group of men and women crouching in the forest, they would've suddenly seen all of them slowly disappear one by one.

zzz-Terracotta Town-zzz

"Darmanitan, Psychic on Medicham and Fire punch on Vivillon!" Shamus shouted, with a smirk firmly planted on his face. The results were instantaneous. Medicham found itself launched into the air and as it was trying to flip over and regain its sense of equilibrium, Chandelure's Hex attack pounded it mercilessly into the ground with multiple balls of purple fire. Darmanitan barely missed Vivillon with the first swing, but completely surprised it with the appearance of a second fire coated fist that slammed into it. Both pokemon were knocked out.

"Darmanitan and Chandelure are the winners!" Dingo declared with a grin as the loser sighed and returned his pokemon. Shamus grumbled under his breath, trying to ignore the desire to force his opponent to give him one of his pokemon. That had always been his method of trading for other fire types by using the spoils of battle as fodder. After Ash though, he had a mark on his record and if he did such a thing again, he could face loosing his license. Only a little begging had allowed him and Damian in the Master Challenge to begin with and Dingo of course always had fun teasing them with his successful and so far un-documented 'release' of his Slakoth. Technically releasing a pokemon wasn't illegal and 'abandonment' was a difficult offense to press charges on since most evidence had to be either witnesses or circumstantial evidence.

The trainer tried to be nice and comment on the good battle, but Shamus just wordlessly waved him off.

"You may be good at double battles, but eventually you'll need to try working on single battles. The majority of the Tournament will most likely be single battles," Greg expressed stoically.

Ursula sighed in boredom as Shamus returned to the stands of the arena to wait for more trainers to come by for them to battle. "I call the next one."

"Awww but it's my turn!" Dingo whined in annoyance and frustration. "And you never take ref duty!"

Ursula grit her teeth in slight annoyance before huffing. "Fine, but I'm after you."

Dingo chuckled happily before laying out his poke balls to look at. He seemed to have to make the choice of which pokemon he wanted to use before the opponent ever came.

"He does realize that making a choice closer to battle is at the very least a little bit wiser, even if you don't get to see which pokemon they'll choose, right?" Daiman asked. Greg only shrugged.

"It's not my problem." The trainer paused and looked over at the door way, making his teammates stop and follow his gaze. Someone in a dark cloak walked quietly into the arena before removing their hood. It was Domino, the Black Tulip.

"Hello there, kiddies."

The trainers all immediately stood, grasping at their pokeballs. "What are you doing here?" Damian demanded.

Domino gave a coy smile. "Easy buddy. I'm just here to talk with you all a bit. No harm in that right?"

The trainers looked at each other, gauging the other's emotions before looking back at Domino. Greg was the one to speak. "What exactly did you want to talk about?"

Domino clicked her tongue and pulled out one of her favorite tulips. "A deal and an opportunity of a lifetime." She grinned. "How would you all like to join the prestigious Team Rocket?"

Dingo looked absolutely gobsmacked along with Ursula, Shamus looked bored, Damian seemed surprised and Greg actually rose a brow in stunned silence.

zzz-Rota-zzz

"And you are?" A guard questioned stoically.

"Touko and N. We want to talk to someone about aura and its history," Touko expressed.

"Right…"

"We were invited by Ash to come check it out!"

"Of course and I'm actually the Queen under this here armor."

"Please, we honestly just want to learn more about aura. Ash said it's possible I could one day harness it," N spoke, trying to calm the situation between Touko and the guard.

"Leave or-"

"Is there something wrong, Sir Daniels?"

The two trainers and guards looked over to see Riley walk up.

"These two trainers were saying that Sir Ketchum had invited them here to learn about aura. I was just trying to turn them away."

"May I ask your full names please?" Riley asked calmly.

"I'm Touko Shiro."

"And I'm N or Natural Harmonia Gropius…" N trailed off. He was still considering changing his last name at the very least. Harmonia was alright because he truly did believe in the ideal Ghetsis had falsely fed him, but the Gropius part held darker memories with it.

"Ah! Yes, Ash told me about you. Sir Daniels, they're fine. I can tell they are being truthful."

"Of course sir, if you say so."

Riley then motioned to the two and led them inside.

"Can you really tell if someone is lying with aura?" Touko asked excitedly, making N chuckle a bit in nervousness. Sometimes he wondered if she was more excited about him maybe being a guardian than he was.

"Yes. I can. You're one of the ones that Ash said Arceus had chosen, correct?" Riley asked, looking over his shoulder as he walked. N noticed the man was avoiding corners and any obstacles in the way even though he wasn't looking ahead.

"Yes sir." N replied.

"Well then, Ash just left early this morning to train at the Tree, but I'm willing to give you a short set of lessons about aura uses and its history if you like. I'm not sure if Arceus will definitely wait until after the current threats or could perhaps give you his gift prematurely. I guess we will find out." Riley smiled as a Lucario came around the corner and joined their group, walking.

N smiled at the things Lucario was saying silently.

"Greetings, friend," N spoke to the bipedal pokemon.

" **Greetings, pup."**

"Pup?" N asked, only to get a bark of laughter from Riley.

"He will no longer call you that when you've trained more."

N laughed jovially, making Touko smile against her will. "I understand."

Riley lead them towards a large courtyard of sorts. "This is where we will train some. Mostly it will be basic things, like seeing if we can figure out your specialty in aura and some combat training. Aura powers help with movement and effort required to pull off stunts, but they still don't automatically make one able to fight properly."

N nodded even as a small frown came to his face. That was the one thing that he hadn't really liked about the possibility of becoming an Aura Guardian one day. He didn't like to fight. He preferred peace.

"Sometimes one must fight to protect peace. This is true in the world we live in, even if it is not the preference of those that indeed keep peace," Riley cut in, noticing the sadness coming from the young man.

"You dislike fighting?" N asked quietly.

"Of course. All guardians who can sense the sorrow, the anger, the fury in their opposition dislike it. We were created to heal, protect and love, only later were we forced to truly fight. Much later we were seen as only weapons for human use. We have a dark history indeed, but at our core all guardians dislike violence."

N nodded.

Riley looked to Touko. "Lucario can take you to the library if you like. These next steps are supposed to stay secret between guardians and their students or comrades."

Touko smiled at N before following Lucario back into the castle. N watched the two go before Riley's voice broke the silence. "Come and sit."

N walked over to were Riley was resting on the grassy ground and followed his example.

zzz-Tree of Beginning-zzz

Ash happily returned Charizard to his poke ball before straightening his jacket. He grinned at Pikachu and Ellie. "Well we made it here again. Time to get some special training in and talk with Mew. Maybe she knows something important or new."

 _Yeah._

 _Good thing she's been safe here. I wonder if she happens to know exactly how many legends have disappeared._

"I plan to find that out if possible."

Their footsteps echoed through the rocky walls as they made their way deeper and deeper into the Tree. Come to think of it, they hadn't seen Regirock, Registeel, or Regice yet… Did that mean? No, surely the Tree wouldn't look so healthy, right?

Finally they took one step into the grassy terrarium area. It was silent. Dead silent. Something was horribly wrong. Where were his pokemon? What about the wild ones?

Ash paused after a nervous and worried glance at Pikachu and Ellie, began to use his aura sense to sweep almost every crevice of the tree. It was fairly easy, because of the crystals' help. He had felt nothing... No life except for the plants... None of the wild pokemon, no mew, no pokemon of his own. Ash walked further into the central cavern with its large lake and meadow that normally looked beautiful but now seemed haunting. Ash hesitantly looked around, listening, sensing for anything at all...

"Pikachu, Ellie... Try to run around some and see if you can find anybody. Maybe I'm doing something wrong," Ash said quietly.

Ash rooted himself and tried once again to sense any other living things… and again, nothing. Then his heart stopped when he heard a cry. Ash looked up and saw his Pikachu restrained in a silver ring that was shocking him. Pikachu had protected Ellie from the trap and she was leaning over him trying to help, but to no avail. Ash started to run forward when suddenly blue forms filled his aura vision, appearing as if they came out of nowhere. Ash soon found himself surrounded by hundreds of Team Rocket members. It was soon after that Vane walked forward.

"Hello, Guardian Ketchum. Surprised? It's our new technology we've developed. It makes the user hidden from the sight of aura users, but I'm sure you saw Sird using the prototype not long ago." Vane grinned.

Ash tensed and looked around before asking, "Where are my other pokemon?!"

Vane smiled, "You don't need to worry about that. You will be joining them soon."

Ash glanced over to Pikachu and Ellie and saw some grunts approach the mice with gloves and another ring. Pikachu was unable to use his electric attacks and Ellie wasn't able to defend them both forever. He then heard Pikachu shout something that he translated as, "Run! Get out of here and find help!" With resistance, Ellie finally bolted, dodging grunts and finally leaping into the lake and swimming to the other side of it before disappearing behind more foliage.

"Gah! Can't you idiots do anything right?!" Vane shouted angrily at the grunts, "Never mind. Get him!"

Pikachu watched in worry as the grunts approached his trainer. Ash formed two spheres of aura and shot the attacks at the grunts, striking a couple of them, whose bodies tripped several others. Ash continued to fire into the horde of Rockets, dodge, and fight them off, but eventually he was overcome. Two grunts grabbed one of his arms each and kept him still. He struggled a bit more when he saw them take Charizard's poke ball of his belt and put it in a container. Ash glared at Vane and then his eyes suddenly drifted to three familiar faces. Ash was strangely deeply hurt to see Jessie, James, and Meowth looking at him from behind Vane. They on the other hand wouldn't look him directly in the eyes.

Ash faced his enemies with a stern face. "You won't win. It doesn't matter what you do."

"Well, you certainly are a optimist, huh?" Vane smiled. His smile switched into the frown before he drew back and punched Ash in the gut as hard as possible. Jessie, James, and Meowth all flinched as Ash gasped in pain, "That is for making a fool out of me at Lavender and every time after..." Vane smiled again as Jeremy walked up beside him.

"Want to play that game of cards, _Cole_? I'm sure you aren't needing to fulfill any of Vane's orders." Jeremy said with a half smile and scowl before punching Ash in the gut as well. Ash by this point was trying not to fall to his knees, even though the grunts were keeping him up.

Pikachu squirmed and defiantly spoke his name as he watched the Rockets hurt his friend.

Vane grumbled and then motioned for a grunt to search Ash's bag for the Orbs. After a moment the grunt looked up. "They aren't here, sir."

Vane growled and looked at Ash, who never broke eye contact. "Where are they?"

"Yeah… I'll spill that right now. The world's destruction at stake, sure why not?" Ash replied with a barely restrained bit of anger and obvious amounts of bitter sarcasm. Aura was starting to flood into Ash's irises. He'd regain his strength soon.

"Lock him up and get him to talk," Vane commanded and Ash felt them pin him to the ground. Dirt smeared against his face and grass tangled in his hair as he fought to get them off his back. A few grunts were grasping at his arms and twisting them behind his back in a painful manner since he was resisting. Ash heard the sound of metal clanking together and felt the substance around his wrists before his aura started to disappear and hide deep inside him. He was at their mercy now with no aura to help him.

Then they started to interrogate him and by interrogate that meant trying to beat the orbs' location out of him. It became obvious that they had come primarily for the Orbs and Ash was beyond grateful he'd left them in Rota. Pikachu had been watching in horror from under a grunt's rubber boot. Finally Vane interrupted the grunts' fun.

"Hmph. It's time we left. We need to get back to base. Detain and incapacitate the prisoner... Don't. Screw. It. Up." Vane said angrily as he walked towards the exit.

Jeremy walked behind Ash once the other grunts had finished beating him and pushed him into the earth again. Jeremy grinned as he kneeled were the downed Ash could see him.

"Sleep tight guardian." Jeremy then rammed a device into Ash's back which soon electrocuted the guardian. He screamed out in surprise, his pained cry bouncing of now hard and unfriendly rock walls and ceiling and his body convulsing against his will. Once it was done, Ash moaned and then closed his eyes. His hat slipped off his head as the grunts started to pull his dead weight up off the ground.

Pikachu saw the pain in Ash's eyes when he was shocked and could visibly see his consciousness fade from them. He squirmed under the Rocket's boot even more furiously. Pikachu screeched, "PikaPi!" echoed throughout the empty tree.

"Serves you right, worm." Jeremy sneered.

Pikachu finally snapped. Even with the device attached firmly around Pikachu, keeping him from using electric attacks, electricity started to shoot out from him regardless.

"What the?!" the grunt pinning Pikachu shouted, drawing all the others' attention as he stumbled back.

Pikachu shouted over and over again as more energy shot out and started to strike some of the grunts. Using his unrestrained hind legs, Pikachu started to inch forward towards Ash. Pain racked his body as he pushed forward and forced out electricity against the device. Finally he reached Ash and the grunts had been forced away from the electricity Pikachu was making. Pikachu murmured his friend's name as he started to feel himself fade out of consciousness as well.

"PikaPi..." Pikachu then fainted.

"Stupid rat." A grunt said as he started to walk over to Ash and Pikachu. Meowth, Jessie, and James were stunned into shock at Pikachu's actions until Jeremy's voice snapped them back into attention.

"Let's get back to base. No more distractions." Jeremy growled. Soon Ash and Pikachu were lifted up by grunts. The trainer and pokemon soon disappeared from the Tree of Beginning with Team Rocket, leaving the place silent and hauntingly empty.

Ellie poked her head out from behind a few rocks. Tears were in her eyes and had obviously run down her pinkish cheeks. She dashed forward and grasped Ash's hat that had fallen on the ground. She stroked it and looked around; she placed it on her head and with determination in her eyes she ran off towards what she hoped would be help.

zzz-Outside the Tree-zzz

Ellie dug a little more at the dirt that was in her way of a clean escape. She couldn't risk going out any of the other exits seeing as they were all directed the same way and she risked being spotted again.

She rubbed under her eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time, wiping moisture away but mostly just irritating her skin. She turned her tail into iron before stabbing the rock and dirt with it. The light coming from the hole finally got bigger. She pushed herself into the small hole before finding herself tumbling down a rocky hill. After rolling a couple times, she was able to stick a landing and find footing.

Ellie panted for a moment, trying to also gather her thoughts. She had no particular way to figure out how to get to Pallet town or anywhere that could provide help. Most pokemon didn't care much to learn about location or geography, humans did that stuff. Some pokemon picked up a few things about maps if they cared to watch and listen to their trainers argue over them, but nothing helpful in a situation like this.

Carefully she picked her way down the slope and landed on the grassy ground that lead to a greenish-blue forest beyond. She sat for a moment before recalling that this place was close to an ocean, not a short distance close, but close enough and an ocean meant towns eventually. If she got lost trying to find the ocean, she could always ask the native pokemon for directions.

She carefully put Ash's hat back on her head after it had fallen off and pushed one ear through the hole in the back of the cap to keep it from slipping off again before turning to the woods and dashing towards what she thought was the ocean.

zzz-New Bark Town / Three days later-zzz

"So John, you heading out today?" Nurse Joy asked kindly.

John Aprico smiled as he walked up to the counter. "Yeah. I was just about to walk down to the pier. Had to thank you for giving me a room on such short notice."

"That's very sweet, John. I hope you have a good time in Unova. I hope your stay in New Bark town for the night was fine." Joy smiled back

"Yeah... I sure hope as well..." John was interrupted by the jingle of the center's doors, yet no one entered when the door opened a bit and then closed.

"Huh?" Joy asked, startled.

"What?" John said in surprise as he looked down and saw and a girl Pikachu with a baseball cap on her head. John lifted up the tired and dirty pokemon onto the center's desk so Joy could see.

"A Pikachu that must belong to someone." Joy said worriedly, "I guess the poor dear is lost."

John continued to look at the tired pokemon until a memory snapped into place after seeing the hat she wore, _Ash... My Scizor... He had two Pikachu on his shoulders... She must be one of them. I wonder if she got separated from him?_ John turned to Joy, "I think I know who's pokemon this is."

"Who's?" Joy asked

"A young man, Ash. The one who helped me with my Scizor that I told you about." John replied.

"Hmmm. I think I can look in the database and figure out where he lives. The poor girl can then be sent home to his home town for him to pick her up. One of the flyers can take her." Joy smiled

"That's good. I've got to go." John said and then leaned down to Ellie's level, "Be strong. You'll see your trainer soon." John then stood up and walked away not seeing the small tears form in Ellie's eyes.

* * *

 **Well that's all for this chapter. Sorry that its a bit shorter than normal. That's a combination of not wanting to make you guys wait much longer as well as having trouble planning out some of the next events properly (Another reason why I wanted to no longer update both my stories simultaneously after this update anymore / so I feel I can plan more without as much stress). Tell me what you thought about it though. My mind's a bit frazzled from school and I want to get my bearings back.**

 **I might update this chapter again later. Maybe. If I do It'll be close to when the next chapter is done.**

* * *

 **Answers to Questions:**

 **PokeguardianZ: Have you considered asking the readers for a set number of OCs to enter in the tournament? So there will be more variety and trainers to dip into for it. Plus, weren't there supposed to be 14 or 15 groups of 14 out there with one extra group of 15?**

 **On another note, Pokemon XY &Z is out in Japan! Pretty sure you can look at Youtube for English sub... I find the whole new concept of Ash-Greninja and Zygarde's whole deal with the amount of cells gathered dictates the form it takes pretty interesting, plus, it'll make it even more interesting if Zygarde shows up some point in the Final Arc!**

 **NoSignal: I've considered it but will probably not ask for OCs. I've only got about one more person to pop in there and I don't want to bother keeping track of them anymore afterwards. I'll take the time to make and balance the random trainers myself. And yes I believe I have it at a certain number of groups of 14 plus one group of 15.**

 **Yep! I've been keeping track of the news and such the best I can. I plan to use as much of the new stuff as possible. :)**

 **Intensity215: I just wanted to say thanks and please don't ever sarcrifice the quality of your work to get a chapter out faster! This one was very well written and the antisipation is real right now! Don't let anyone pressure you into writing when you don't have time!**

 **If love to hear about how your school is going though if you're okay talking about it with a reader if not I totally understand. Just thought I'd offer ;)**  
 **So again, thanks a bunch for another wonderful chapter and I'll keep my eye out for the next.**

 **NoSignal: Thanks a bunch for this. While this chapter may or may not have suffered a bit from that exact thing, I plan to remedy that with having myself no longer simultaneous update my stories as a principle. Thanks for the offer. Not anything unexpected was going on except just a ton of work.**

 **MyLittleAngelxxx: Are those strange flowers the seedlings of Time Flowers? Or is it the hidden Celebis causing that? Either way, it's strange and I can't wait to find out what that's about.**

 **NoSignal: They are saplings for well... you'll see eventually. :D**

 **Great: PS Check out 'The Unexpected Pokémon Interview' by Charminghex99. I think its a story with a lot of potential.**

 **NoSignal: I might just do that!**

 **Guest (Sparkydragon98): Although Zach said he would battle the veterans in the Master Challenge back near the end of chapter 2 of the Unova Arc. He's really not in the Master Challenge? Also, you didn't answer my earlier question about Ritchie and Assunta...**

 **One more thing: not sure if you got my review about potential opponents for Ash to face in the tournament. If you did, you could consider it, please?**

 **NoSignal: I may or may not have PM'd you these answers, but oh well I'll make sure I answered you. :) Zach meant he'd find a way to battle the Master, either the current one, if a Master Challenge trainer doesn't dethrone him or whoever does dethrone him. As in he wants to battle the Master one day even if he isn't a part of the Master Challenge. What was your question about? I don't recall. And I will consider it, but we'll have to see. I have to make the tournament work the way that's best for the story. :) And yes I made up the possibility of Greninja's new form being a mega and that whole theory, but the actual form is a new thing in the anime.**

 **Guest: can you add the song of fast and fourious 7 when i see you again in the end only if you want**

 **NoSignal: I love that song! Sadly it's against FFN rules to use songs in fanfictions. I will be using a song I wrote that readers of this story are familiar with. Thanks for reading!**

 **EllaDeWriter: I know the King of Pokélantis was dealt with in the Hoenn arc, but can he please come back somehow? I think it'd be really interesting.**

 **And, on an unrelated note, when you're all done with the current stories, could you please consider doing a DPxPokemon crossover? I think it'd be cool to see the worlds merge from your perspective.**

 **NoSignal: I have something else that will probably be just as good! Sadly He's gone in this story :) But like I said there's something else that will be practically the same thing.**

 **It will be a while before I finish all the stories I want to do. I think the idea is somewhat interesting, but I doubt I'll ever actually make a full story on it. However, As I mentioned at the top in the AN, I am making a story filled with plot bunnies and drabbles, that may or may not be continuous at times. So check that out and you might find something DPxPokemon related (even if it's short).**

 **Thanks for the praise! :)**

 **NoSignal to Vital Info: Thanks for the big review. It had a lot of useful things for me to consider, specifically for future stories like my Pokemon Anime ReWrite in the future.**

 **Guest: OMG I love it so much so far! you're such a fantastic writer! keep up the awesome work!**

 **NoSignal: Thanks so much! Welcome to the family.**

 **nick: I want to say one thing I may find interesting about this fanfic saga of yours. It has Pokeshipping in it. I'm a big fan of that pairing. So I want to ask you something. 1. How did you come up with the idea for this saga? 2. Is this a rewrite of the anime series, or does it take place sometime later? Be sure to clear this up for me.**

 **NoSignal: Hey there! Glad you made it to this chapter. I'm glad you like Pokeshipping too. I know its not that realistic anymore, but the nostalgia is just too much for me to ignore. The feeling of 'It was supposed to be but never was feeling.' I plan to focus on that feeling a lot in the Anime Rewrite I want to do. The idea for the saga? Well I'd have to say that my main drive was to force all the main characters from pokemon together and force them into a situation where they would have to interact and live together. There were not many stories like that I could find that was decent or to my liking, so I wrote my own. This takes place about a year and a half after Ash's time in Kalos. This isn't a rewrite of the anime, just a AU continuation of it and a possible ending to the beloved show.**

 **Guest: Hey NoSignal, I was wondering if Ash's Archeops still has the Defeatist ability? Keep up the awesome work!**

 **NoSignal: Yes it does indeed. I wonder how that will affect his ability to battle? ;)**

* * *

 **Thank you all so much for your support and wonderful wonderful reviews! I thank you all so much :) If I accidentally missed a question by either not PMing you or answering here, let me know so I can PM you or mention you (guests) in the next chapter :)**

 **God bless and Best wishes to all of you! Happy Holidays too!**

 **~NoSignal**


	5. Enemy Territory

**Hey everyone! This chapter is replacing the Hiatus Notice Chapter I had put up. I have a longer End of Hiatus Message, but you can read that on the second chapter I posted. If you have trouble reviewing, then try on the chapter after this.**

 **I figured that you guys were all so patient and awesome that I wanted to come back with two chapters for you.**

* * *

Normal Talk

 _Thoughts_

 **Lucario talking unless stated otherwise**

 **Zoroark talking unless stated otherwise**

 _ **M**_ _ **ienshao talking unless stated otherwise**_

Let the journey continue...

* * *

"Alright. You nice and secure?" Nurse Joy asked sweetly. Ellie didn't respond, even as her temporary caretaker checked her small harness.

"She seems safely secured," The young girl expressed, double checking one last time. She was a young girl, about twelve. She had long orange hair and wore a brown and tan jumpsuit. She was a new flyer, that being a type of worker who rode flying pokemon for various reasons. Though there were smaller pokemon who did mail devilry at times, flyers delivered larger packages, did express flying and other jobs as well.

"Be careful Marlie. There's been bad weather out at sea and they're saying it could get worse and closer to inland areas," Nurse Joy expressed in concern.

Marlie nodded. "I'll be careful. I promise. Good Bye!" Marlie's Pidgeot then took off, causing the rider to pull down her orange googles and Ellie to shut her eyes against the sudden gust of air.

As they began their trip, Ellie couldn't help but look down at the earth below and wonder if she could spot her missing trainer and friends.

zzz-Pallet Town-zzz

It was Alain that actually felt something was wrong. Everyone had come over to the lab to have Lunch together. Gary and Paul were the last to come inside from training. With Brock, Cilan, Solidad, Cress, and Chili's help, Delia was putting down the last of the dishes of food. Despite all the general anxiety everyone shared during these dark times, the people here seemed somewhat at ease.

Alain was sitting on the couch closest to the front windows. He was about to join everyone to eat, when he felt something odd. Mairin didn't notice his sudden hesitance before she was already trying to find seats for him and Astrid. Alain glanced out of the front windows and saw something that really caught his attention. A Pikachu was running up the front steps with a young girl trying to catch it. The most peculiar thing was that he had a dreadful feeling that he recognized the Pikachu and the hat that was bouncing against her head clumsily.

"Could you pass the pasta salad?"

"Sure thing, Zoey."

"Thanks again Mrs. Ketchum and our other resident cooks."

"No problem-"

Alain felt the others' voices get drowned out by his thoughts, before he turned to speak. "Guys." Even though he was quiet, someone in the group seemed to hear him because soon after everyone slowly calmed down. "We've got a problem."

 _Ding-Dong_

"Huh, who could that be?" Oak asked as Tracey walked towards the door. Alain just watched and clenched his fists in silence.

"Oh, hi! I'm sorry to interrupt whatever you were doing."

Before anyone else could see the girl speaking, Ellie rushed into the room and looked around frantically. The mouse spied Misty and dashed over to her. Misty pushed away from the tables hurriedly, causing her chair to topple over. "Ellie!? What are you doing here!?" The mouse leapt into her chest and Misty was barely able to catch the hat on the mouse's head before it fell and hit the ground. The room was completely silent, save Ellie's pitiful muffled whimpers against Misty's chest, as the young water type gym leader slowly turned the hat to show the familiar design she knew she'd see. "No…"

"Miss Marlie, do you know what happened?" Oak asked, trying to remain calm. He'd learned to girl's name between when she'd come to the door and when Misty had shouted Ellie's name.

"I, um no. I was just sent by the Nurse Joy in New Bark Town to bring Ellie back here. We thought she had been separated from her trainer somehow."

Delia was somewhat detached as Oak thanked the girl and she left on her Pidgeot.

"We need to call Riley and ask if he's seen Ash. Maybe they did just get separated," Stephan offered, though he and everyone else knew that the likelihood of that being true was beyond unlikely. Ash would've found Ellie with his aura otherwise. That meant something serious had happened.

Gary marched over to the videophone and called Riley's number. Everyone quietly looked up when someone with the appearance of a butler answered the phone. "Hello, may I ask who is calling Sir Riley?"

"This is Gary Oak of Pallet Town. I'm good friends with Ash Ketchum and Sir Riley and I have met many times. I'm calling because I'm worried Ash is in danger and needed to ask Riley when he last saw him."

The butler nodded. "Very well. Do hold please." The man then walked away from the phone.

Misty was still clutching Ellie and staring straight through Ash's hat. "You shouldn't have gone alone…"

"Hello, Gary?"

Everyone looked up and saw Riley. He was actually out of his armor and wearing clothing that would suit well for a light workout of sorts.

"Riley, where did Ash say he was headed?" Gary asked.

Riley's face grew the slightest bit worried. "The Tree of Beginning to train. Why do you ask?"

"Ellie, his other Pikachu, showed up with his hat and no Ash or other pokemon."

Riley narrowed his eyes and looked down for a moment before glancing off screen. "Harmonia! Harmonia, come here!"

Iris and Cilan gasped slightly in surprise when N and Touko came into view on the phone. "What is it? What's going on?" N asked.

"I need you to tell me what Ellie is saying. I can't understand her by just hearing her speak. I have to be close enough to her to sense her aura. You understand pokemon speech."

Misty looked down at Ellie and petted her back. "Ellie. We need you to tell N what happened." Ellie finally pulled her head out from hiding in Misty's chest to look at N on the videophone.

"PikaPi, pika pik pik chu pika chu pi pi chu pik chu pi. Pikachu pika chu chu chu pi-" Ellie continued until she had finished her side of the story and N frowned before looking up at everyone.

"Team Rocket attacked the Tree of Beginning and took all of Ash's pokemon, the wild pokemon that lived there, and then Ash, Pikachu, and Charizard. It was an ambush. They used some strange suits to trick Ash's aura vision into not seeing anything."

"Just like Sird!" Max exclaimed in shock.

N nodded. "Team Rocket has them."

Riley's face turned colder than the others were used to. "I need to send a team out to the Tree to see if there's anything they can find there. I would suggest you all call the League and report Ash as kidnapped."

"Oh no! Does that mean Team Rocket also got the other Orbs!?" Dawn asked in worry, only for Riley's voice to cut through.

"Fortunately, Ash left them in our care before he traveled to the Tree. They're safe here in Rota." Riley continued to enter into a somewhat militaristic tone. "I also suggest you all try to make your way to Rota. I'm not sure what their motive was. It seems they might have been trying to gain control of the Orbs without risking a full out attack on Pallet…" Riley cursed under his breath as if he'd just realized he'd been duped. "There's the chance they would try to find you all and use you to get him to tell them where the Orbs are."

"Wait, hold the phone. Are you telling us to go someplace safe while Ash is in danger?" Barry asked with a tone of incredulity and irritation creeping into his voice.

"We can't do that," Paul grunted and crossed his arms. Many of the others nodded their heads in agreement and determination.

"I understand you're worried about him, but right now they have us on the run. We still don't know where they are-" Something seemed to occur to Riley, but he shook his head and refocused on his words. "The point is we need to talk face to face, meet with the League and determine the best course of action. Whether or not they know it or not, Team Rocket has officially declared war on Rota because they've captured one of our knights. We will be responding to the threat as a declaration of war since we still have our own sovereignty that's somewhat separate from the League." Riley's eyes became calmer. "We can discuss our next steps as well as your next course of action once you get here."

"Teach me like you're teaching him."

Everyone turned to see Alain staring at the screen. "You're teaching Harmonia how to train with aura, right?"

"I'm showing him the basics. You won't most likely gain any more power over it until Arceus grants it to you though."

Alain looked at N. "You feel it too though, right?"

N slowly nodded. "I think I know what you mean."

Riley looked between the two and nodded. "Make your way to Rota." He then looked over at the quiet Delia and nodded earnestly. "I'll bring him back to you ma'am. I swear on my honor as a knight of Rota and on my very life."

Delia looked up at Riley and politely nodded, but remained quiet. Finally, the line went dead. Tracey walked over to Gary and placed a hand on the young professor's hand before he could dial the League. "Let me do that, Gary. You get packed, alright?"

Gary nodded as Paul spoke, "Let's all get packed. We're moving out of Pallet." Alain walked briskly past everyone else, with Calem right behind, followed closely by everyone else, minus a few.

Misty paused when a hand rested on her shoulder. She looked up into Brock's eyes. "Hey." He then gestured over to Delia. He smiled at Misty with a weak smile. "I'll get your things, don't worry about it." Misty nodded before she hugged Brock tightly. Ellie sat on the table watching quietly. "We'll get him back."

Misty didn't answer. She didn't trust herself to. Something deep down was screaming at her that she wasn't meant to have the happy ending she'd hoped for. She then turned and held Delia's hand, making the woman look up at her. "Let's go get your things Mrs. Ketchum."

Delia nodded. "Yes. I guess I need to… put some of my sprinklers on a timer."

Misty caught Professor Oak's eyes and saw he was frowning at Delia's pain. He turned and marched off, no doubt to get what things he couldn't be without. All that was left was Tracey's voice talking through the videophone to some secretary at the League. Ellie climbed onto her shoulder as she and Delia exited the lab and made their way to the Ketchum's home.

zzz-Unknown Location-zzz

The first thing he felt was rocking. It was a very rocky road beneath them, Ash realized. He could still feel his wrists shackled together; his arms had also been bound to his sides now, his ankles were also bound and his mouth was gagged with cloth and said cloth was kept in place with a thin rope. He was also, oddly enough, missing his shoes. The next thing he noticed was voices.

"I can't believe this guy has caused so much trouble for Team Rocket. He's just some kid."

"Mack, come on. You saw what he did at that tree place when we jumped him. He's a freak."

He slowly cracked open his eyes, trying to get a feel for where he was without alerting anyone that might be there that he was awake. No such luck.

"Speaking of which, guess who's awake!" A pause. "Hey sleepin' beauty!" Ash didn't get to prepare himself before a foot connected with his side and caused pain to burst out from the point of impact. He grunted and cracked his eyes open a bit more to show he was at the very least listening to them.

"Ho ho ho! Look at that, Harry. He's giving you the stink eye. You're in real trouble now. The scary aura guardian's gonna get you."

Ash watched quietly as the three men in the back of the seemingly armored truck laughed at his predicament. One of his immediate thoughts circled around his pokemon and their fates. Where where they?

"Hey! We're talking to you!" Ash froze when he felt cold steel linger near his throat. The man next to him that had kicked him, named Harry apparently, was brandishing a knife. The most unnerving thing about it was when Ash locked eyes with a man that held his life in his hands and saw nothing reflecting in his pupils.

"Pffft! HA HA HA!" The other two grunts burst out laughing, considering that it wasn't like Ash could answer.

"You got some peculiar birthmarks there, champ," Harry continued and tapped Ash's cheek with his blade's flat side. "What do you think about a new one?" Harry then laughed and pulled away slightly. Ash knew a lot of people considered him rash and not much of a thinker, but honestly that was just the way he was. Ash reared his head back and head butted Harry right in the face and the young Guardian felt the sweet satisfaction of hearing a crack originating from the man's nose.

In a flurry of movement, Harry had crushed Ash's smaller body up against the side of the moving truck and over him. The large man's fist which held the knife was jammed into Ash's throat so hard, he was having trouble breathing. Harry's face was shadowed as blood dripped down from his broken nose and onto Ash's face.

"You really have a death wish, don't you, you little shit?"

Ash felt the knife near his right ear and the right side of his throat start to dig into his skin. A burning sensation followed.

"Hey Harry, remember the boss wants to see 'em alright? Maybe you can cut him up later."

"Unless Admin Proton gets the honors."

"He's in Sinnoh right now, ain't he?"

"It'll probably be that Robles guy instead."

Harry growled and grabbed a large fistful of Ash's dark hair before bashing his head into the side of the vehicle. "You move one more inch and I'll make it to where you're own mother wouldn't recognize your face." Ash could only stare back in silence and strangely he could only picture all of his ancestors in the Hall of Origin watching over him nervously.

zzz-Unknown Location-zzz

It seemed like a couple hours later before they arrived at their destination. Harry flipped out his knife and slashed the ropes that bound Ash's ankles. "Get up and don't take a step until you're told to." Ash slowly rose to his feet as the back of the truck swung open and the light of the setting sun broke through the dimly lit interior of the vehicle. He saw several guards standing guard outside of a relatively small looking base. He heard several trucks pull up and only caught sight of one grunt pulling a tray of poke balls out of the back, before a bag was thrown over his head and synched around his neck. He felt something press against his back, most likely a gun, and a couple hands fall on either of his shoulders.

"Move."

He had no choice but to start walking forward into whatever hell awaited him.

After taking several turns and riding what could only be an elevator, they seemed to near whatever place they were taking him in their base. The whole way he listened to murmurs and taunts; everyone seemed to know who'd been captured. He stumbled in front of some obstacle and then was forced to sit in what he now figured out was a chair.

With the rustling of fabric, he could see again. Ash kinda wished they would've left it on. None other than Giovanni and Robles sat and stood across the table from him.

"Please do help Ashton so that he can speak with us. I want to hear what he has to say."

After a couple of moments, Ash's gag was removed and Giovanni asked the guards who'd taken him to the office to wait outside. The doors closed and the three were cloaked in a brief silence.

"I have to be frank and admit to my own failings. I should've paid more attention to Jessie and James. Though due to their track record, you can't really blame me now can you. They are quite idiotic, don't you agree?"

Ash merely narrowed his eyes at Giovanni. Though he wasn't by any stretch of the imagination on good terms with them after how they'd betrayed him, he couldn't simply bad mouth them knowing that there was some good buried in them somewhere. Besides, he definitely wasn't going to sit there and please Giovanni.

"I guess when Cassidy and Botch and then some of my more notable members like Vicious, Annie and Oakley, and Professor Namba started to complain about a boy with a Pikachu-" Giovanni's face changed from somewhat gentlemanly to dark in less than a second. "I should've waited until you'd come home and let a few grunts take care of the problem at your own house."

Ash restrained himself from saying anything, but couldn't stop from tightening his fists. The man had just mentioned none too bluntly that he would've been willing to even murder his mother and that absolutely made Ash livid. He didn't even have to look at Robles to know the man could feel Ash's anger.

"Then something amazing happened. You ended up helping to stop my operations in Unova. Really, that was the moment where I was truly prepared to end your miserable life. But then a God-send. One of my researchers stumbled across an interesting bit of lore within some of the artifacts we'd been studying regarding Meloetta and the Forces of Nature Trio. It mentioned some interesting things about an ancient legend. Those researchers connected to research we'd been doing on aura guardians and suddenly… the world could be at my fingertips like never before." Giovanni leaned back and placed his interwoven hands over one knee. "So really… I need to thank you for stopping me at Meloetta. You stopped me from settling for less than the best." Another lull came and eventually Giovanni spoke up again. "I wanted to have a somewhat chivalrous talk with you. Even though you and I have seemingly been at odds for years, we've never really gotten to talk. Strangely enough you… remind me of someone I used to know."

"No thanks." Ash said callously.

Giovanni's face turned dark again. "I know who you are, Ashton Satoshi Ketchum. You see, Robles informed me of your heritage. Had I known sooner about your connection to the late Master. I most likely would've also asked for your extermination sooner. I assume you know that now though, correct?"

Ash growled slightly. "You had Mr. and Mrs. Oak murdered, didn't you?"

Giovanni was quiet for a moment. "They kept getting in the way, so you could say I got in their way, in the way of their car."

Finally, Ash couldn't stand it anymore. He jumped out of his chair and towered over the sitting man. "You're nothing but a coward of the highest breed! You hide behind fear and violence! You will be brought to justice one day, whether it be in the courts or by Arceus himself!"

He would've been able to dodge the blow if the chair hadn't been right behind him. Robles' fist caught him right in the left side of his jaw and throat and propelled him into the hard floor. Ash tried to gain his bearings for a moment, hoping the spinning would stop, but then a heavy and large boot pressed into his torso and he felt like his lungs were going to pop in his chest.

"Ashton. I would try to save your strength if I were you. You're going to need it." Giovanni stepped out from behind his desk and leered at Ash on the ground. He called in the guards before looking into Ash's eyes again. "As soon as you are no longer useful in my eyes, I'm going to let Robles have you and I'm pretty sure you know what that means, Guardian."

Ash looked over at Robles as he was forcefully hoisted up and man-handled. He was forced to look away from the both of his enemies when one of the guards grabbed his hair to steer him.

After Ash and the others had left, Robles looked at Giovanni. "You will allow me to be the one to kill him, right?"

Giovanni looked at Robles without emotion. "That was the deal, wasn't it? We don't actually need him alive anymore. We're past that. I just want to use him for all he's worth before you dispose of him. I also need to get the location of the Orbs out of him as well."

zzz-Sub-level 3-zzz

Ash realized, pretty quickly, that most if not a majority of Team Rocket's main base was underground, nearly ninety percent, just like an iceberg. The outside could've easily been mistaken for a radio tower or something and wouldn't easily be seen from aerial surveillance. The grunts didn't speak as he was led, somewhere. After a few more minutes they reached sub-level three. They walked through a couple of sliding steel doors and Ash had to keep his surprise off his face.

In rows and rows of clear cages, pokemon of all shapes and sizes were housed. Ash recognized some of the wild pokemon from the Tree of Beginning and then his eyes landed on his own pokemon, who had noticed him at the same time.

Pikachu leapt over to the side of the cage and shouted his name. "PikaPi!"

"I have to say that your pokemon are… interesting. Unlike other very powerful pokemon I have observed in the past, they seem to have their own strength. You didn't train them traditional way and so they aren't trained superbly, however… there's just something else there that sub-par trainers' pokemon lack. Fascinating."

Ash looked over and saw Colress writing down notes on his digital notepad all while eyeing Ash's pokemon greedily. Ash immediately got irritated, seeing as he got the distinct feeling that the subtext there was that they were no longer his pokemon. "If you touch them-"

"Now, boy. You aren't exactly in the position to make demands, are you?" Colress questioned. The scientist adjusted his glasses before gesturing behind him and down the aisle of caged pokemon. "Doctor Yung is down the way. He is the one that wanted to see the boy once Giovanni was done speaking to him." The two grunts nodded and started walking Ash down the aisle. Ash took another look at all his pokemon and he could see the fear and worry that was currently squashing what determination they did have. One of the grunts got impatient, seeing as Ash wasn't walking as fast as he could if he was looking forward. He reached out and grabbed at Ash's hair again, which was really starting to annoy the Guardian.

"Move!" He forced Ash's head forward roughly. Only moments after did all four men flinch at a loud roar and a rumbling. Ash glanced over again and saw that Charizard had been the one that had roared and smashed into the side of the clear box. The fire type's eyes were pinpricks of color as he glared venomously at the grunts. The other pokemon inside were giving them similar looks as well.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. If I recall you have some younger pokemon in your midst. All I have to do is press this button here and the whole box will be fried with enough volts to knock you for a loop and do a bit more damage to the little ones. Do I make myself clear?" Colress questioned, holding up a small stick with a button on the top. Inside the box, Charizard could hear Meganium talking to Chickorita, and Butterfree murmuring to his family. Charizard growled lowly. "Be more concerned for yourselves than your previous trainer."

Most of Ash's pokemon tensed slightly at the phrasing of the sentence before giving one final glance at their friend being lead further and further away from them. Pikachu felt his ears dip and something drop in his chest. "PikaPi."

Ash was meanwhile lead deeper into the aisles of caged pokemon. Some of them he could tell had been stolen from their trainers by the saddened looks on their faces, while other were wild and seemed more scared than anything. Some of the pokemon from the Tree even murmured when they saw him and seemed concerned for their friend, even if he wasn't their trainer.

"Ah there he is! I've been waiting patiently for this, ever since you escaped me in Sinnoh." Ash watched as Doctor Yung moved out from behind a few monitors and eyed the trainer. "I'm certain you've see even more incredible sights since we last met, hm?"

Ash grit his teeth, thinking back to when Professor Oak had told him about what the man had done to Pikachu. "Haven't you already used Lawrence to capture legendaries? They aren't apparently a secret any more."

Yung moved closer, seemingly ignoring Ash all together. Then he spoke, "Of course, you fool. I don't need your memories. We know about the legends and we know about aura because of Robles." Ash could feel his blood start to boil at the mention of the Dark One. Just thinking about someone gifted with Arceus' power over life, using it selfishly and betraying the Alpha pokemon's trust made him see red. Yung surprised him out of his thoughts when he grabbed the boy's lower half of his face in his hand. "No, the only thing I haven't been able to do was test aura for _my_ research, seeing as Robles isn't disposable for our cause."

Ash narrowed his eyes at the man. "What could you possibly want from Giovanni, Yung."

The man smirked. "He takes my research seriously. That's really all it takes. He'll have an army of pokemon at his beck and call and with me around, he'll also have an army of new and improved mirage pokemon as well. A few probes to open up during large battles and we'll be golden. Not to mention, after we've taken over the world, mirage pokemon acting on a computerized system for every single city and town in the world will make a greatly efficient and intimidating police force, don't you think? No one would dare defy us." Ash growled and jerked his face out of Yung grasp.

"You seem to be counting your Pidgey before they hatch, Yung."

Yung chuckled slightly. "I think it's amusing that somewhere inside of you, you still have this ridiculous idea that your people could still win."

Ash wished his could make his eyes glow right now, but the only thing he received for his efforts was the shackles around his wrists glowing and shocking him briefly.

"Get him in the chamber and into those restraints there, understood? I need access to his power. The data I collect will help me to develop the perfect energy source for my System."

The grunts started to move Ash towards a large tube that had some type of restraints near the top of the chamber, but all Ash could think about was the implications of Yung's statement. There was a very real possibility that he was testing Aura to see how it could work as an energy source. More likely than not, it would be a perfect one and Yung would seek to have all pokemon with stronger auras, like Lucario, Riolu, Zoroark, and others to be bred purely for slaughter in this new world order he was yammering on about. No, he couldn't let that happen. This had to be some horrible nightmare. Maybe he and his friends were still back on New Moon Island with the Darkrai and he just hadn't woken up. What Giovanni was planning for a new world, regardless of Robles' hopes to simply destroy the world, would be horrific. Ash yanked himself out of the grasp of one of the grunts and tried to spin out of the other.

"Get him you fools!" Yung cried out, irritated at the time delay.

What Ash didn't know was that the grunts were packing tazers. He let out a surprised scream of pain when the weapon hit home and forced him straight to his knees. Then they forced him up into the tube on numb and wobbly legs and before he knew it, Ash was out of his old shackles and secured in the tube. His arms were locked into the clamps that were positioned on either side of a pole that came down from the ceiling of the chamber and his ankles were locked slightly apart and connected to bars that were built into the bottom of the tube's base. He panted slightly from his struggle as well as from the electrocution he'd just received.

"There's no point in struggling."

Ash tried to glare at Yung, but the man was positioned in a particular spot to where Ash couldn't see past his own arm, which was being held straight up because of his restraints.

"Test One."

Ash didn't even get the chance to wonder what was going to happen or how many 'tests' Yung had planned before his body was alight with burning pain. He let out an ear-piercing scream from the strange energy that was being forced through him. His hands unclenched and his back arched against his will. The energy felt so wrong, so empty.

From outside the tube, the men could see Ash's eyes glowing a bright blue. Eventually Yung turned off the first switch and took some notes. "Interesting." He then placed his fingers around the second switch and with a simple flick, another test began.

"Test Two." But the Doctor's voice was practically drowned out by the return of Ash's cries of agony.

zzz-Sub-level 3-zzz

ZZZ-Pokemon Translator Activated-ZZZ

All of the pokemon had lapsed into an uneasy silence, until they were literally jolted from their subdued mood by the distinct sound of their trainer's screams of pain.

"No! No! No!" Pikachu cried out.

The rest of the pokemon, whined, hissed, growled, or moaned in worry and discomfort at hearing the continued yelling. Some tried in vain to cover their ears and shut their eyes to block it out.

"Make it stop, please make it stop…" Meganium croaked out, trying to no avail not to cry in front of her child.

"Enough!" Sceptile roared and began to beat on the clear wall with his tail. Some of the other heavy hitters, which included a good deal of the starter pokemon in Ash's team started to do the same.

"All of you stop! Don't you remember what the scientist said to us!?" Pidgeot cried out.

Blastoise immediately rounded on the bird and the other pokemon that were nodding their heads. "So what, we just listen to them kill Ash!?"

"I didn't say that!"

"All of you, stop!" Lucario bellowed before he clutched his head in pain. The others there realized quickly that Ash's links must be partially feeling his pain. "We will not be able to accomplish anything by fighting each other."

"It's true. We're only wasting our energy trying to break out right now," Greninja agreed.

Sceptile snorted. "Coming from the guy that used Ash to get stronger."

"Yeah don't you have a track record for abandoning your trainers? Trying to keep up your streak?" Tauros pushed, glaring at the water starter out of the corner of one eye.

Greninja, Tauros, and Sceptile's eyes locked for a moment and the others could feel the tension rising.

Venusaur hummed, watching everyone continue to argue about what was to be done. Though he was a great peace keeper, he also knew that no one was likely to listen to him at the moment. He glanced over at Pikachu who was still staring outside of the box. "What do you think we should do? Both points are equally valid it seems. We either risk the young ones and recklessly try to do something now or we wait and risk waiting too long to save Ash."

Pikachu frowned, currently the screaming had stopped, though that didn't tell him much of anything. "I… I don't know. It all depends on what the Team Rocket Boss wants. We have no idea how much time we have."

"We need to try and at least come up with a plan of some kind." Pikachu and Venusaur looked over to see that Noctowl and Honedge had joined their little private talk.

"I've already floated covertly about the entire cube and observed the others as well. It seems that the base of the cages are the only ways to open them. On top there's a gray disc that the energy which makes up the cage connects too, but the source is from the base where the controls are." Honedge explained and nodded while gesturing with his eye to the buttons and keyboard outside of the cage.

Pikachu nodded. "That's important information… I just don't know how that'll help us."

Noctowl seemed to think long and hard about something. Then he spoke. "What if… No…"

Pikachu, Venusaur, and Honedge looked at their friend. Pikachu was the one to ask the obvious though. "What?"

Noctowl hummed. "I suppose it's possible that myself and anyone else in here that happens to know Hypnosis could hypnotize someone to release us. The issues with that are that we need to know where to go from there, how to find Ash quickly and then still manage to escape. It's a shaky plan at best and would require us to actually learn their schedules. The risk is that they decide to… well take care of Ash before we can learn schedules or figure out someone that we could hypnotize."

"That could actually work…" Honedge droned. "Gengar and Gallade could help."

"And Zoroark could impersonate someone." Venusaur mused.

"It's better than nothing at this point." Pikachu then perked up and all of the pokemon quieted from whatever they were doing when two grunts marched a trembling Ash past them.

He paused, against the grunts' wills and smiled at his friends. "It'll be okay, guys. Take care of each other." One of the grunts then jabbed Ash in the back with an unactivated tazer.

"Stop stalling."

The three humans then left and the pokemon remained silent after hearing their trainer's cracked and abused voice. Even now he was still trying to support them. Sceptile, Tauros, and Greninja all eyed each other and nodded. At the very least they could try to stay unified until they got out of this mess.

And they would… Ash had said so after all, so it had to be true.

ZZZ-Pokemon Translator Deactivated-ZZZ

zzz-Terracotta Town-zzz

Damian narrowed his eyes as the Team Rocket agent, known to most as the Black Tulip. His teammates stood by his sides waiting patiently to see what each of them would say. Though Damian was arrogant and somewhat heartless at times, he wasn't truly stupid, just prone to underestimating others. Damian folded his arms. "Why would you want us to join? Or am I more correct to assume that you need us to join?"

Domino narrowed her eyes briefly, before giggling. "Team Rocket needs no one. Me and a few agents have simply been sent around to see how many people are willing to do the smart thing and join us now."

"So you heard of our amazing skills and came to recruit us?" Dingo asked, hardly trying to hide his ego.

"Something like that," Domino replied with a smirk. Ursula lifted her nose into the air slightly as she watched the young woman before them.

"Hmph. We need to get ready for the Master Challenge Tournament, not wasting our time with your plans or whatever."

Domino cocked a brow while the other boys continued to study her quietly. "I don't think you understand exactly what's coming, do you?"

Shamus snorted. "If anything Team Plasma has been more active than you guys recently. What with their attack on Opulecid."

The others near Shamus nodded in agreement. Domino smirked and studied her nails, even though they were behind white gloves. "And who do you think hired Team Plasma? I'll admit. That plan went under. What the League hasn't been telling the public is that we're packing, big time." Domino placed one hand on her hip and used the other to tap the big R on her chest. "The world is about to change, boys and girls. Now it's just a matter of whether you want to be the losers or the winners."

Dingo went to open his mouth but was silenced by Greg's glare. Damian was ultimately the one to speak. "Can we discuss this in private?"

Domino sighed and rolled her eyes. "If you must. I'll give you literally five minutes, naw probably more like three."

Damian grit his teeth slightly in brief irritation before turning and walking away a bit with the others. Ursula cut in immediately. "Okay, what are you doing? Why are we even discussing this? Do you have any idea what my father would do if he found out I toyed with joining Team Rocket of all things?"

Damian grumbled slightly. "Listen. I think it's completely nuts too. These idiots always get trashed eventually. However, if it's true that Team Rocket have a better plan this time around, then maybe the other warnings that have been on TV have been right. Remember the Island of of Unova that turned gray and the fact that all events with the exception of the Master Challenge Tournament has been put on hold until the situation under control?"

"So you're jointing Team Rocket? Uh, man… you're going to get busted by the police eventually. That and the Guardians and every other frickin' authority," Dingo muttered.

"For once I have to agree with Dingo," Greg expressed.

Damian sighed. "No I'm not, but I'm going to tell her I am. Maybe we can get some intel the League could use. Who knows, not only could we make the League not look too closely at our records, but we could also make sure the Master Challenge doesn't get cancelled. I for one am not going to let my chance to become the Master be taken away by a bunch of petty and idiotic criminals."

Greg hummed and Dingo seemed in thought. Dingo looked at Damian and gave a grin. "Maybe they'd even give us a reward of some kind."

"You do realize Team Rocket has wackos in it's ranks, right? This is stupid!" Shamus growled.

Dingo seemed to become nervous. "Now that I think about it, isn't that maniac Proton in there? It's said he's got the largest murder count out of any of the Admins. Maybe we should just walk away."

Damain huffed. "Do you all want to see the Tournament shut down?"

"For a few extra months while the League cleans up the mess, sure," Ursula huffed.

"That is if Team Rocket doesn't actually win. If they do, then there may no longer be a Pokemon Master period," Greg cut in. "Normally I could care less, but there's the chance that we could nip this in the bud now."

Damain nodded. "Besides… It's just one agent."

"She's the Black Tulip though!" Dingo whinned.

"If we can't take care of her together then we should give up on the Master Challenge," Greg grunted and crossed his arms.

At that, everyone eventually agreed and returned to Domino who was glaring at them. "What in the world took you all so long?" Suspicion seemed to linger in her gaze and Shamus seemed to pick up on it.

"Out-weighing the pros and cons. You have to admit that Team Rocket hasn't ever shown too much promise in the past," Shamus spoke up quickly and watched with satisfaction as Domino grew irritated, though he did notice that she kept it pretty well hidden.

"Very well, have you actually come to a decision?" Domino asked.

"Yes, we'll join you. If you're really packing with stronger pokemon than before, then we're in," Damian spoke.

Domino gave a half-smile, before gesturing towards the door. "Grab your bags. We're going to catch a ride to the mainland." She then grabbed the cloak she'd been wearing and wrapped it about her shoulders before walking out. The trainers gave each other one last look before gathering their things.

zzz-Tohjo Falls-zzz

 _"Lucky Channel! Win with Pok_ _é_ _mon ID numbers! Trade your Pok_ _é_ _mon to collect different ID numbers! ...Repeating myself gets to be a drag_ _…_ _"_

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

"Why else would there be a radio still playing? Besides-" Hun spoke with a straight face before pressing one of the buttons on the radio.

" _This is Madame Futuroso. I ask my audience, what is it that you seek?_ _"_

"Hail Giovanni," Hun replied. Attila blinked in confusion before the back wall of the cave started to slide open. Hun clicked the other button before turning around to walk with Attila into the darkness.

" _And this is Mr. Raoul Contesta head of the Pokemon Activities Committee and one of the members of the League Counsel here to get us up to date on Team Rocket_ _'_ _s movements-_ _"_

The rocky door closed and Hun and Attila were cloaked in darkness and could no longer hear the radio. A green light soon outlined the rocky tunnel. A single glowstick rested in Attila's hand as the two walked forward.

After several minutes, they came to the end of the tunnel. Hun looked for a moment before pressing a button that was hidden as a piece of rock. Again, the stone before them moved out of the way and the two Admins were faced with a large hanger like area. Helicopters, jets, and a variety of aircraft were in sight. Hun scanned the area and estimated that Giovanni had sent at least a little over two hundred agents to this location. Attila watched as the teleportation pads in the back of the hanger area lit up over and over again, delivering pokemon squirming in their cages. Agents would then roll them off into various corridors. High above everyone, there was a large slogan printed into the metal of the wall. _R.O.C.K.E.T - Raid On the City, Knock out, Evil Tusks._

"Attila and Hun, come. I'm sure you'll want to see this."

Both Admins looked up and saw Archer walking towards them in his white suit. The two nodded and followed their superior into a corridor. At the end of it, they found themselves in a war room of sorts. A map of the World was stretched against a wall, showing various locations in all of the main regions where Team Rocket bases were stationed.

"Everyone is in position. We're all preparing in all of our remaining bases. We're down to this one and the main HQ here in the Kanto-Johto area and then two bases per region from there. When we get the signal, all the bases will deploy for their targets. The idea is that no one will be ready for our onslaught." Archer then turned and pressed a button on his desk. Light flooded into the right side of the room, showing it was larger than they had realized.

Tubes filled with various pokemon became visible. A Lugia, Moltres, Zapdos, two Articuno, a shiny Suicune, an Entei, a Raikou, a couple of Latias and Latios, and about seven jirachi all floated in their chambers. Attila's mouth was wide open and Hun was studying them closely.

"War is soon upon us."

zzz-Outside Sootopolis / Seafloor Cavern-zzz

Deep in the damp caves of the ancient Seafloor Cavern, Archie and Chas stared at similar tubes filled with a Suicune, Raikou, Regigigas, Regice, Latios, a couple of Latias, a few Jirachi, a Deoxys, a couple of Manaphy, and a few Shaymin, as grunts dashed around doing their jobs behind them.

"Hail Giovanni," Chas murmured.

zzz-Outside Ever Grande City / Underwater base 001-zzz

Ariana stood in the metal underwater base, staring at her own set of legendaries as well. She could hear one of her appointed officers issuing drills to the grunts and their pokemon.

zzz-LaRousse City-zzz

"Man! I'm stuffed!" Sid grinned and patted his belly.

Rafe simply rolled his eyes. "All the easier and slower you'll be during battle then."

"No way, man! It gives me energy!"

"We'll see about that."

"Tory's dad said we could use his private stadium since the Battle Tower isn't active on Saturdays or Sundays. Isn't that right Tory!?" Audrey asked excitedly.

Tory simply nodded. "Mmhm." The young boy watched as his friends went back into another talk about battling, training or some such and so his attention started to wander.

"Come come. I promise you'll want to hear this."

Tory glanced over at the voice and saw an old woman with orange graying hair, talking to a trio of trainers that seemed to range from ten to twelve.

"How would you like to have the strongest pokemon you could?" The woman waited to hear their excited murmurs before continuing. "My providers can give you that and more."

"What do we need to do?"

"Follow me and you will learn about the wonders of Team Rocket. You will be powerful trainers most definitely." The Delibird at her feet nodded. The young trainers looked nervous but didn't immediately turn away, making Tory upset.

He turned to his friends. "Hey guys!" They all looked at him.

"What is it, Tory?" Rafe asked.

"That old lady over there is trying to trick those kids into joining Team Rocket." Tory's face grew determined. "They don't know what's at stake!"

Rebecca's face grew cold. "They've been known to kidnap people for their ranks as well."

"Then what are waiting for?" Conway asked and shifted his glasses.

The small group walked over, with Sid marching to the front, bumping past Rafe and Rebecca. "Hey old lady!"

A few people walking on the sidewalk nearby looked but continued walking.

"Leave these kids alone. They don't want to join Team Rocket."

The woman's eyes became a bit sharper. "Oh, and how do you know that?"

Rebecca looked at the startled kids and nodded. "Trust me, you don't want to give involved with Team Rocket. They're as bad as your parents have said they are and as bad as the news has talked about plus some."

The twelve year old boy in the group blinked and then opened his mouth slightly. "You're in the Master Challenge, aren't you?"

Sid grinned. "You bet ya!"

Tory nodded and then looked over his shoulder to look for a police drone. The woman saw his glaze land on the drone and she dashed off as he waved it over. The trainers listened to the drone call out to other cubes as well as the main control station manned by the human police force about the sighting.

Rebecca hummed. "I have a bad feeling about this." She started typing on her computer when suddenly she gasped, drawing in her friends' attention.

"What is it, Becca?" Kathryn asked quietly.

"Ash…"

Rafe rose a brow. "What about him?"

The girl quietly turned her laptop around so that they could see that Ash had been listed as kidnapped.

Conway hummed. "All the pawns and pieces are falling together as the black king prepares to make his killing move…"

"What in the world are you muttering about, Conway?" Sid asked.

Conway looked up at his friends. "I think we might need to take a detour. We might truly been facing war soon. We need to go talk with some people that have a better idea about what's happening."

zzz-Ouside Alamos-zzz

Deep in the mountainside near the nearly water locked Alamos town, Tyson grinned as the last legendary pokemon arrived via the teleporter pads. The mighty Thundurus slumbered before him. He heard a clatter and saw a mere grunt trying to keep some capsules filled with purple liquid from falling off his gurney.

"Careful with those, you idiot!"

"Yes! Of course! Sorry sir!"

zzz-Outside Lily of the Valley Island / Underwater base 002-zzz

"Dear Arceus…" A grunt gulped.

"You can hear it too?" A second grunt asked.

They flinched when the sound of a knife being sharpened stopped. They grew quiet as they heard Admin Proton continue to sharpen again and then hum some unknown tune.

zzz-Outside Vertress City-zzz

"Why did he send us out so soon?" Mars questioned as she walked with Pierce, passing by a few helicopters that were being looked over by mechanics.

"It isn't as early as you think…" Pierce murmured.

Mars gave him a look, but Pierce didn't give any other details.

zzz-Outside Castelia / Desert Base-zzz

Jupiter hummed as she observed Mewtwo Y in her chamber. "The world's strongest pokemon, hm?"

A scientist started typing on the computer nearby. Jupiter glanced over at what he was working on and saw it was the Mystery Science technology they'd been powering with raw orb shards or primal stones. A dark smirk came to Jupiter's face before she looked back at the feline.

"And it's ours to command."

zzz-Outside Luminose / Moutain Range south of Kalos' borders-zzz

Roman stared quietly with Wendy as a grunt ran up to Admins.

"All of our rationed pokemon have arrived and any pokemon that used to belong to trainers have had their poke balls destroyed. We're in the process of recapturing them. Another group is busy setting up the injection system for the special serum."

Roman nodded. "Good. Make sure it gets done."

"Yes sir!"

zzz-Miare City-zzz

" _He_ _'_ _s here, but Giovanni hasn_ _'_ _t given me his permission to destroy him yet. The Guardian also has stubbornly refused to reveal where the Orbs are._ _"_

Sird grit her teeth. "What an irritation. He's the only thing that could actually put a stop to our plans."

" _It_ _'_ _s not a major issue. It will be even easier to kill him after they_ _'_ _ve weakened him so much. It_ _'_ _ll honestly be anticlimactic, the last ember of a lost time to simply be blown out by a simple breeze rather than a gale. Really it only proves his cause is weak._ _"_

Sird nodded and a grin wormed its way onto her face. Soon Robles hung up and she glared at a small newspaper clipping that showed a young Redrick grinning after winning the League in Kanto. "I hope you're prepared to welcome your son into the afterlife, old friend."

* * *

 **I hope it was worth the wait! It seems as though war is on the horizon.**

* * *

 **I will be answering any questions from previous chapter in the AN of the next chapter.**

* * *

 **I've decided to give you guys a list of the new pokemon caught after each chapter so that new pokemon aren't spoiled but you also can remember which pokemon are new and aren't on the list at the start of the Arc.**

 **N/A: None Yet**

* * *

 **So there you are I hope this helps some :) If you ever need the full list, minus the newest additions, it's at the beginning of the Arc.**

 **Follow, Fav, Review, but most importantly, Enjoy! :D**

 **~NoSignal**


	6. Second Thoughts

**Okay here we go. Hi everyone! It's been over four months since I've published, just like I thought it would be. I finally got through the end of my school and got to rest a little bit. I've been working on getting registered for my next step in my education as well as finishing volunteering for a few days for a summer camp, which was fun.**

 **As you might've seen, I decided I wouldn't publish again until I'd finished two chapters for you guys, which was harder than I'd thought. I will say that I've been able to at least set up a good final outline for the rest of this Arc. I've also started gathering notes on what oneshots will be in the drabble sequel to the Master Challenge. So yeah.**

 **I eventually intend to go over all of the Master Challenge and Edit the entire thing one day, seeing as my writing style has changed a lot from the beginning. I've learned a lot and want to fix some things here and there. It may cause chapters to be longer or even entire Arcs lengthened with the addition of chapters, but I'll have to see what happens when I get to that point. There's a lot of things I want to Edit and fix in my library, so that will happen at some point.**

 **As for the info that most of you probably care most about: Update Schedule. Read below.**

 **I'm not sure what my schedule will be. I know I will not be updating this story and Pondus Omnium at the same time. This time is merely a coincidence because it's the end of my Hiatus. Truth is, it's just easier for me to write for Danny Phantom at present, so you might see it being updated more often than this. Don't worry though. I mean this is the near end of the story for the Master Challenge, it would be silly for me to give it up. I'll get them cranked out eventually. I'll probably also update Phandom Phables from time to time seeing as they are fun stress relieving oneshots, etc.**

 **I will ask that no one pester me about updates. Use your hearts and brains to know the difference between pestering and asking politely. Those with accounts can always PM me. For Guests, I prefer you don't ask about updates in reviews if you don't have an account. If you ignore my request for this just be aware that they won't appear in the reviews section because I will be deleting them. It's nothing against you, honest, it's just that I don't want a bunch of reviews asking about updates. It ups the review numbers without giving true feedback about the story itself. Also, Guests, I can never answer questions in your reviews directly. This site doesn't allow that(I don't know if other sites do and that's why people get confused). The only way I can answer you is through text in the chapters I publish.**

 **Okay so short story: Don't know what my schedule will be. It's hard to get back into the swing of things. Don't pester me (luckily no one has yet). I thank you all for being amazing fans and people. I'm officially out of Hiatus.**

 **Sorry for the massive AN.**

* * *

Normal Talk

 _Thoughts_

 **Lucario talking unless stated otherwise**

 **Zoroark talking unless stated otherwise**

 _ **M**_ _ **ienshao talking unless stated otherwise**_

Let the journey continue...

* * *

zzz-Rota / Two days later-zzz

"Can you not reconsider waiting for just a little longer?"

Riley ignored the request as he continued walking down the hallway. "You will have to put in a request to the queen. I'm busy following orders."

"Come on Riley. Work with me here."

"It's not within my authority, Lance." Riley stopped at that moment and stared at the Champion. "And as a bit of advice, I would try to not talk about that around Ash's friends and mother. They might not understand where you're coming from."

Lance sighed as Riley continued walking and two soldiers saluted him. Lance hummed and turned to walk back towards the throne room. In a few moments Lance found himself before Lady Ilene and two of her guards. "Your majesty-"

"Yes, Sir Lance?"

Lance's mouth twitched. "I implore you, no the P.A.C asks that you reconsider your actions. We're not prepared for an onslaught from Team Rocket. We also need to confirm for certain where their main base is. We're already thinking we might've located two in two other regions as well-"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Sir Lance. While Rota has worked cooperatively with the Pokemon Activities Committee for a long time, there are some traditions and old mandates that we will not abandon. My people are already outraged that Sir Ketchum was captured within our borders and are practically seeking blood for the disgrace. More importantly though, we stand by the idea that we will never leave a man or woman behind."

"We have Silver looking for the main base as we speak. Please, just another day or two, so we can evaluate our approach."

Ilene rose and gave Lance a hard look. "We can't be certain that Ashton has a day or two to spare."

"As much as I want to see him come out of this okay, we have to consider the best outcome for everyone. The world is in danger."

Ilene's face grew distant and sad. "If we should make that trade… I'm not sure I'd want to live in a dying world without a proper guardian. Riley is strong, but he is not Ash, even he knows that."

Lance was silent for a moment.

"What do you mean, 'you have Silver looking for their main base?'."

Lance looked over his shoulder and Ilene looked up to see Paul and Dawn standing at the entrance to the throne room. Dawn watched as her boyfriend started to tremble slightly, with rage or some other emotion, she wasn't sure. Most everyone was resting or trying to keep Mrs. Ketchum busy; some were trying to keep themselves busy the best they could in order to not think of Ash. Mairin and Astrid had followed Alain so that they could talk with Touko while N and Alain did their exercises that Riley had left them with. They had been waiting to talk to Riley and most of the trainers were going to go with Riley and the Rotisian Army to the place Riley suspected Team Rocket was. He had told them that he was pretty sure they had been tricked into drawing Ash to Rota and then the tree by the evidence on Yvetal. From what they knew about the aura cloaking technology Team Rocket had been developing, it was good but not completely perfected. The cloaking technology couldn't be advanced enough to work as effectively on larger bodies, like ships, seeing as the cloaking spread over a larger surface than a human body only made the ships seemingly invisible, but couldn't produce a good enough illusion that air wasn't being diverged around aircraft. This made large enough waves that Ash or even Riley could've detected. In short, Riley believed they had traveled to the Tree on foot; their base with Ash in it, possibly couldn't be too far from Rota.

"Paul…" Lance froze, not knowing what to say.

"You tell me now. I don't care if your the damned Champion or not. He's my father and I deserve to know."

Dawn tried to place a hand on Paul's shoulder. He glanced at her briefly, but didn't respond.

Lance looked at the young man and schooled his face. "Your father was being forced by Giovanni to work for him the last few months. When he was arrested, we couldn't do much for him, even if his intent was to keep you and Reggie safe. Currently, he _escaped_ from his cell and has been searching for the main base's location. At least, that's what he's said from his radio reports to us. _It's not like I know something the counsel doesn't_."

Paul listened to the meaning poorly hidden meaning in Lance's words. Without a word, Paul turned and marched out. Dawn looked a bit flustered before rushing after him, Piplup hot on her tail.

"If you'll excuse me, Sir Lance. I have to prepare to speak to my people. The army will be deploying in a few hours." Ilene walked off after that with her two guards and her attendant. Mime Jr. mimicked her slight bow before following the humans out.

Lance stood and stared at the throne alone for a while.

"Did you really expect to stop them?"

The Champion looked over and saw Wes and Michael in the entrance to another door to the throne room.

"Where's Rui?"

"She was also curious about this aura stuff. She's with those other two in that sacred grove or something. All I know is that the guards wouldn't let me in," Wes answered. "Your turn. Did you really-"

"No… not really. I'm just worried they're going to stir the Beedrill nest and then we won't be prepared to fight back."

"Will we ever be ready for war?" Michael asked calmly. "I'm pretty sure it's something no one is ever really prepared for, at least in heart."

Lance clenched his fists.

Wes lifted a brow slightly. "I'm starting to wonder if the League just isn't prepared to get their hands dirty."

Lance gave Wes a glare. "I belong to all people as the Champion. I have to do what's best for everyone not a few. No matter how much I wish otherwise. I need to have some leeway; Rald and Yellow were right. I need to act more like an ally, but I still have my limits."

Lance walked out of the room and Michael looked at Wes. "What now?"

"I guess we wait for shit to hit the fan."

"Ya mean more than it already has?"

"Yes, smart one."

zzz-Deep in the Rotisian Mountain Range-zzz

Damian was sure he wasn't the only one in his group that had started to realize they were in deep shit. For some reason, only Arceus knows, they had all kinda thought that the group plus Domino would be marching on foot to wherever the base was.

This worriedly enough didn't happen. Damian and his little group found themselves in a truck, relieved of their pokenavs and other devices with GPS, because as Domino had so eloquently stated, 'you won't need those anymore,' and staring awkwardly at a smug looking Domino as two other male grunts from Team Rocket drove the van in the front.

Ursula kept giving him a mix of angry and fearful looks, almost making him feel a bit of remorse for dragging her into this.

"Where exactly is the base?" Greg asked finally, breaking the silence.

Domino smiled slowly. "Sorry, you won't know that until after training at the very least. Viper is going to have so much fun with all of you."

Dingo let out a low keening noise of what had to be fear.

Domino hummed and played a bit with her finger near the corner of her lips. "So much fun."

It was then that everyone felt the change in terrain as the road became rocky and the van bounced. Greg noticed the change and saved the info for future need.

"Uggh! You live under a rock or something!?" Ursula blurted out, aggravated that the bouncing was throwing her hair into her face.

"Team Rocket has very nice accommodations… if you're not a prisoner." Domino face changed from teasing to dark quickly, startling everyone in the back of the van but her. Was she somewhat on to them? She couldn't be, could she?

 _Tap Tap._

Domino smiled and knocked on the wall separating them from the drivers up front, in response.

 _Tap._

"It appears we're almost home."

zzz-Rotisian Mountain Range-zzz

Silver stood quietly behind some brush, waiting for them to return. He tensed when he heard bushes rustling, only to relax when his Ursaring lumbered through. Gengar floated up from the pokemon's shadow, with its perpetual grin on its face.

"Anything?" Silver asked.

Ursaring nodded and then pointed. "Ur ur ursaring."

"Gen garrrr…"

Silver nodded. "Okay. Thank you both. I'll let you rest for now. I'm going to check it out first." The veteran returned the two pokemon before moving out of the brush and dropping down into a rocky crevasse. He had been lingering on the outskirts of the forest that covered the lower two thirds of the Rotisian mountains since it provided cover for him to search for Team Rocket's main base. It appeared though, that they had chosen an even rougher terrain to set up in than the League had ever thought. Then again, several years ago had been when they'd moved their main base, after a legendary pokemon had supposedly escaped from it and blown the place to smithereens. The incident had revealed that Giovanni had returned and had somehow again taken over the Gym in Viridian. Silver still wondered how that could've possibly slipped under the radar, then again some people had thought Giovanni had been dead after so long. Even Lance had presumed that Team Rocket was being lead by a new and its third leader since its inception by Madame Boss. Whether it had stayed under the control of the Rocketto family had been a mystery, but of course now they knew the gang hadn't changed hands like they'd thought.

He was making his way through another pathway along the rock and stone when he heard a rumbling of a vehicle. He darted to the side and hid within a dark hole in the canyon wall. The van passed, but not without Silver seeing the telltale uniforms that the driver and passenger were wearing. Silver whipped out a piece of paper and used a hiker's map to figure out exactly where he was in the mountains. It had been hard-going without being able to use more modern means of navigation, but he couldn't simply let anyone track him, else the League Council would throw him back into the slammer before he could complete his task. He also didn't want to miss the war that might come, that was, unless they could find and stop them before the enemy got moving.

He sat in the dark of the nook he'd found and worked to write out a detailed guide to the base. Just a little further and he'd have his guide.

He pulled himself from the hole and moved down the road, listening for any other unexpected guests.

zzz-Team Rocket Base Enterance-zzz

Damain and the others numbly got out of the van and got their first look of the Team Rocket base and all its glory. It was just a a short walk now before they were within sight of the main entrance, around a jagged corner of rock.

Shamus flinched as the parked vehicle started to lower into the ground, metal doors opening and a elevator platform moving it down. The two other grunts with them, eyed the trainers quietly.

"You're destiny awaits." Domino turned and started to walk.

Damian and the other gave each other a look before moving forward. Damian kept playing with the poke ball nearest his hand on his waist.

Shamus looked at the grunts and snorted. "We don't have to wear those ridiculous outfits, do we?"

Domino stopped dead and the grunts glanced at each other before eyeing Domino. One whispered something and the other gave a quiet chuckle, before they both looked at the trainers with mock pity. The young admin turned slowly and gave a disarming smile.

"Ridiculous outfits?"

Shamus tensed grasping for his belt as a reflex.

Domino laughed a bit and then guffawed loudly. "I'm starting to wonder if you greenhorns even understand what it means to be apart of Team Rocket." She turned, growling at that point. She whipped out a black tulip, sharp at the end of the stem and pointed it right at Shamus. "You aren't you anymore. You and your pokemon belong to Team Rocket. You serve Team Rocket without question. When you choose Team Rocket, you sacrifice everything for power and I mean everything."

Ursula let out a screech and hid her face in Damian's shirt when Domino and the two grunts suddenly went blank in the face and fell to the ground.

"Were you all willing to sacrifice freedom so easily?"

"Who's there!?" Greg growled out, looking around for whomever had attacked the Team Rocket members. The young man gasped and Dingo let out a squeal when Silver and his Alakazam suddenly appeared in front of them.

"You're Silver. Aren't you with them? You were attacking New Tork with some other operatives," Damian asked in suspicion.

"I was but I wasn't. What we need to discuss is the here and now. We have to go. They will wake up soon and wonder what happened to you all. I also have to get word to someone about where the base is."

"Hey! We were trying to get that info!" Dingo yelped in annoyance.

Silver narrowed his eyes. "What, by pretending to join them? How stupid."

Damian growled under his breath a bit.

"We have to leave." Silver let out his Crobat and placed a rolled up piece of paper in his feet. "Crobat, get this to Lance. I believe Yellow radioed me and told me he'd gone to Rota, so it's close."

"Cro! chabakt!" The flying and poison type darted into the sky and was gone within moments.

Silver looked at the teens and young adults before him. "We move now if you want to get out of here alive. I'm certain you'll be murdered if your caught. Giovanni is no longer playing his gentleman's game." He pointed towards a path a little ways above. Damian's group looked at each other before making their way in that direction. While they were prideful in various ways, they certainly weren't going to risk their lives for their pride. As they left, Silver took one look back at the base and grimaced.

 _Sorry, Red. I can't bring him out of there without help. If aura guardians really watch over us, if your ancestors are really up there… Help give him stamina to last a bit longer._

Silver turned away and made his way back up the path he'd come, returning Alakazam as he went. He never saw the phantom figure of a familiar trainer in red. His ghostly face looked worn and tired before he faded out of sight.

zzz-Sub-level 7 / A Day later-zzz

He didn't even remember getting onto the table. He was fading in and out of consciousness. Ash could feel his own body failing him. He was outright exhausted and ached everywhere. Not long after he'd finished his 'tests' with Dr. Yung, Giovanni had simply started a combination of starvation, dehydration and torture on him. At first they'd asked about the Orbs and when Ash had made it obvious he wasn't spilling the beans, they'd stopped asking and continued the torture even if he hadn't figured out why. Perhaps it was just for the fun of it.

They'd beaten him, taunted him by not allowing him to sleep, making him fear every moment when they would decide to off him. Even though it had only been a few days now, it had felt like an eternity.

Then he'd learned the other reason why they were softening him up so much. None other than Xerosic had come to his cell and started asking him to join Team Rocket. Of course, the first time they had asked, he'd spit in the doctor's face.

Xerosic had explained that even though they had ways to force mega evolution, they still knew that it was difficult to bring out a pokemon's true power through force. They also knew that it would take a lot of energy to break his pokemon's spirits. It would take time and energy they didn't have at present. They wanted to use him to make his pokemon obey, lest they cause the death of their own trainer. They wanted to use him as blackmail in general and it made him livid. When Xerosic had first explained all of the details of this plan, Ash had gotten so angry that his shackles had immediately sent him into a writhing mess on the floor, reacting to his aura.

But Ash was afraid as someone finished restraining him to the metal table he found himself on. Though he'd always been known to have an unbreakable spirit, he'd nearly been broken before and sometimes over much lesser things. Ash didn't honestly know his breaking point. What if he broke?

He noted that something was near his head and he heard a voice that he had come to loathe more than most anything he knew. Giovanni spoke into Ash's ear, clearly and calmly, "You are making this turn out horribly for yourself."

With effort, Ash was able to croak out an answer, "It's not about me." He wasn't even sure where that answer had come from. Then again, he knew it really wasn't about him. It was about the balance of the world being at stake.

Giovanni straightened up and nodded to Xeroisc, "It appears as though we'll have to use our final trick."

A few grunts walked forward and held Ash's upper arms even though he was already restrained and clearly out of it. The others held his legs; the last held his hair tightly so he couldn't move his head. Xeroisc smiled as he approached with a single syringe, "I promise. This will hurt a lot."

Ash growled and tried his best to brace himself, knowing he couldn't struggle out of this. He feared it was some type of poison to torture him, much like Colress had done before. The grunt holding his hair lifted Ash's head up before slamming it against the table for good measure. Ash groaned in pain and saw stars. While he was temporarily stunned, Xerosic plunged the syringe into the side of his neck. After that, Ash only felt fire racing through his veins.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Ash screamed in agony and his body started to thrash. Xeroisc and the grunts backed away. Everyone present looked on in pleasure or stoic indifference as Ash strained against the metal clamps. Aura flared out from his body and crackled like lightning through the air. Ash's screams only amplified.

"It appears that his very body is having a reaction to the serum. This must be a defense mechanism of sorts." Xerosic hummed. "Then again, it makes sense if this really is energy from the dark souls in that bottle.

Giovanni nodded quietly but kept looking over at Robles, who seemed to be looking at this whole process with irritation. Zurak, the man's ever faithful servant watched Ash trash about at his master's feet.

Slowly, Ash's body stopped seizing and his head lolled to the side. His aura continued to flicker around his body, small flares of red though, danced in their midst. The aura then disappeared from normal vision.

"Well?" Giovanni asked, looking at Xerosic.

"Hmm…" The scientist walked forward, "Ashton… from now on your name is Agent Phoenix, understand? You serve only the purposes of Team Rocket and Giovanni's wishes. I ask you, where are the Orbs?"

Ash's head turned to look Xeroisc in the eyes, only a fog was there in his brown orbs.

"Phoenix? Orbs.. Rota... Giovanni? No… Mother? Pika… chu… Mist? Ash… Da..d.." Ash's eyes suddenly flashed bright blue, "Arceus, Original one." His irises and pupils seemed to have gone bright blue while he spoke. Suddenly Ash obviously passed out, his head rolling to the side again.

"He still has the will to fight? Did your serum even work?" A random grunt asked.

"Do not fear, that reaction was both without the suit nor the remote. The remote will place him under enough control to get him into the suit. Once he is in the suit… He's ours." Xeroisc smiled, "Original one or not. Besides he gave us his answer. Rota even makes sense, seeing as it was one of the last places he visited before going into our ambush. They have the means to protect them too."

"..." Giovanni mumbled as he rolled a dark stone the size of a quarter around in his hand. A crystal roughly shaped like a poke ball, was connected to it by a string. Glanced over at Robles and nodded, watching as the man walked out of the room, Zurak at his heals.

zzz-Sub-level 5-zzz

Jessie, James, and Meowth had just sst down to eat lunch with Cassidy and Butch. Though the two teams didn't personally see eye to eye, they did tend to sit together even if it was to just mock each other or brag about their most recent accomplishments.

"I got to say, Jessie... Your team going and finally getting that kid... I suppose even I have to congratulate you on that even if Vane was leading the mission... He even said you guys pretended to be his friends or something," Cassidy grinned, "That's really despicable... Maybe we aren't so different after all."

Jessie had stopped eating and looked up in surprise and suspicion along with Meowth.

"You? Complementing me?" Jessie eyed her rival for a moment, "Thanks I guess."

Cassidy continued to grin, when suddenly the group heard a distant scream echo through the base.

"Ha! Looks like they're experimenting on that kid again," A grunt bellowed as he strode by.

James, up until that point, had been somewhat lifeless. He hadn't really touched his food and he had been staring out the observation window nearby, which had a view of one of the main gym area. At the grunts's remark and the scream his half-lidded eyes opened fully and he glanced in the direction of the sound. After a moment he resumed his original position.

"Hmph. Serves the kid right. After all he's put us through, I hope he learns his lesson." Butch chuckled.

"Jimmy, you okay?" Meowth finally asked after he noticed James' overall absence.

James turned and gave Meowth a half-smile, "I'm... fine. Just not that hungry I guess. I didn't sleep well last night. I think I'm going to go and take a nap, since we're nearly prepared and have some time off."

James got up with his tray and walked away.

"Huh, what's with your teammate?" Cassidy asked.

Jessie glared at Cassidy for a moment before huffing, "James is just a big baby. He's probably not that tired." Jessie then got up with her empty tray and walked away and Meowth followed behind her.

Cassidy turned to Butch, "Bitch..."

"Hmf? Isf Buftch." Butch mumbled with his mouth full, before swallowing.

"I think we need to keep an eye on Jessie and James. They're acting funny. I think dear Jessie might be going soft. James seems to have completely lost his drive too. Something's up. Remember Eindoak? I don't think even James is dumb enough to hit your Tangrowth like that."

Butch seemed to be in thought before he looked at his partner. "Are you sure you aren't just jealous or something, Cass?"

Cassidy gave Butch a glare. "No, Hutch." She huffed and stomped away.

"THE NAME IS BUTCH FOR ARCEUS SAKE!"

Everyone in the room turned to look at Butch and all chatter stopped.

"Whoa, wait. You're name is actually Butt-ch? I've thought it was Bill, this whole time!"

Butch only groaned and smacked his head against the table he was sitting at, not even caring that part of his hair fell into the gravy.

zzz-Jessie, James, Meowth-zzz

James sat on his cot staring out the window at the rocky range below. This side of the base was bordered by this view. James had always liked it. It made him think of freedom; really that's what Team Rocket had always meant for him, freedom. He had never really had freedom with his mother and father. James then heard the door open, he knew who was there before they spoke.

"James?" Jessie asked as the rest of the trio joined him in the room. Meowth shut the door.

"Yeah, Jess?" James replied.

"You are actually hungry, aren't you?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah I guess. Well, honestly I'm not really that hungry. It wasn't a complete lie," James answered.

"Here's an apple I swiped for ya, Jimmy." Meowth walked up and handed the fruit to his friend. James smiled and took it before staring at it.

After a moment of him staring at the food and not speaking or eating, Jessie spoke, "James... You okay?"

Though Jessie wasn't typically someone who showed much patience or compassion, she was a bit worried for her friend.

James was silent a little longer before he asked a question, "What do you think we would be like if we had never joined Team Rocket?"

Jessie and Meowth were quiet for a moment. Meowth finally spoke, "Well for starters we wouldn't have met, period, if not for Team Rocket."

James nodded, "We used to always fight over food. We have fought a lot with each other."

"Yeah but we've stayed together through thick and thin." Meowth nodded.

"Yeah. What do you think it would feel like if we tried being good more often?" James asked before continuing, "I can remember how great I felt when we let go of Lugia that time. I was certain I was going to die, but I was okay with it because I was going to die doing something worth while." James paused for a moment before frowning deeply, "If I died now... right this moment, I don't think I would be okay with it."

"James..." Jessie mumbled, "You... I..." Jessie tried to refute but she couldn't seem to force anything out.

"Guys, as important as this conversation is, maybe... We should probably finish it somewhere else. You know how wired the base is. We don't want no body hearing things we'd regret." Meowth whispered.

James smiled and nodded, "I agree. Thanks for at least listening to me, guys."

"Well somebody's got to listen to you." Jessie sat next to him and rolled her eyes. James blushed slightly and looked away, laughing lightly.

"Yeah, everybody's gotta have somebody to listen to um. Utterwise they'd go all wacky in the head." Meowth grinned and leapt up to sit next to Jessie.

"Let's go to the gym later tonight. We can sneak out the back into the fields a ways behind the base. That's where we can have our talk." Jessie nodded.

"Wait the gym has a back door?" James asked.

"Yep, I used to wander around this place all the time as a kid, especially when mom was away. She was stationed here a lot, but that was before this was the main base of operations…" Jessie trailed off. She had told the two about her mother some but never went too far into detail. She had left Team Rocket after her mother had 'died' but after her other efforts in the world had failed she had inevitably come crawling back.

"Wow Jessie, That's neat dat you know this place so well." Meowth nodded.

"Well duh, how else do you think I knew how to find Yv-" Jessie froze, stopping herself. "Probably shouldn't say that out loud."

The trio then took a deep breath and sighed all at the same time.

zzz-Later that night-zzz

Jessie, James, and Meowth came and clocked in to show they were going to be using the gym. The trio reached the room and was pleased to see that nobody else seemed to be using it. That probably had something to do with the time of night it was. Jessie led them to the far end and moved a box out of the way. An air vent was revealed.

"Uh... Jess... I thought you said it was a backdoor." James muttered.

A tick mark appeared over Jessie's head, "What's the matter, rich boy? When you're poor and bored this is a magical passageway!"

"Right, right... Sorry." James surrendered quickly.

"Hush, you guys. Let's go." Meowth muttered. He had already opened the vent and was waiting to the other two.

The trio nodded and started crawling through the length of the vent until they reached the outside. They walked a bit until they were sitting on a grassy bluff over looking the ravine that connected the mountain they were on to the next row of pointy rock formations. The Rotisian Mountain Range was known to be one of the most beautiful in the world, right up there with Mt. Coronet's Range. At first they just sat in silence until finally James spoke first.

"Do you think we did the right thing? I mean helping to ambush the twerp like that?" James muttered.

"I hate to break it to ya Jimmy, but we're criminals, bad-guys, villains... Of course we didn't do the 'right' thing." Meowth grunted.

"Well yeah. I mean I knew that but, even the right thing... for us." James murmured. He spoke again, "Maybe if we hadn't betrayed him, maybe if we had actually become good like he seemed to want us to, we would be even better off. I mean think about it, really think about it. Those twerps have always had each other's backs. I'm sure if they've figured it out that he got kidnapped, they're looking for him right now. Can you imagine not being afraid anymore? Feeling worth something for once? We've finally gotten our promotion. We've gotten just about everything we ever wanted and I can't help but feel hollow. They're torturing him in there... Trying to use that aura stuff to power machines and take away his and his pokemons' free will. We finally 'caught' Pikachu and all his other pokemon to boot... but... but... I hate this! It isn't right!" James stood up hurriedly, letting out his emotional burden in a frenzy. "The twerp was right from the beginning! We can do better than this!" James said finally, "There I said it... I'm not sure I can keep going through with this… I'm quitting Team Rocket now. I can't take another second of this!"

Jessie was silent with Meowth, before Jessie finally frowned, "You don't mean that... It's crazy talk. We're a part of Team Rocket! We always have been and we always will be; we are nothing without it!" Jessie yelled and pushed herself off the ground and closer to James' face.

She was surprised when he didn't flinch or even cringe in fear of her like he normally did. He looked her right in the eyes, "You're right we are nothing without Team Rocket... But at this rate I'd rather be nothing than be the something they want me to be."

Jessie stuttered and Meowth kept looking between the two.

"It's kinda hard to fix things now," Jessie stated.

"We've been through more difficult things," James replied.

"We might get found out and tortured ourselves," Jessie shot back.

"Better than not try," James muttered.

"The twerp knew the risks. He brought this on himself," Jessie growled.

"Yet he still tried to pull us out of our hole at the cost to himself. He had to have known we could've done this… He doesn't have anything to regret." James nodded.

"What... what do we do? Where can we go? The twerp-" Jessie muttered.

"I don't know what we can do, where we should go. We have to somehow help the twerp though even if he doesn't forgive us." James interrupted.

"We're really going to do this?"

Jessie and James turned to face Meowth

"Well... I know I can't do it anymore. I suppose I just assumed you guys felt the same," James mumbled.

"...Jimmy." Meowth spoke and James and Jessie looked up at him, "You know, I had a bit of experience with the twerps traveling when we were supposed to be doing operation ghost train, you know? In Unova? Anyways afterwards, I couldn't help but kinda miss it. They were really nice to me. I felt... happy. Of course I was missing you guys, but never da less... I... I've had long talks with Pikachu before, like in the Orange Islands and we was shackled together. You might be right about this. Maybe it's time to accomplish something more. We 'caught' Pikachu like we wanted, we never said what we would do afterwards. Besides, it wouldn't be da same without each udder."

"If the twerp doesn't forgive us or even if he does, what will we do with ourselves?" Jessie asked. James noticed a look in her eyes he hadn't really been allowed to witness too often. Jessie had known the Team Rocket life for longer an any of the trio. For her to leave it behind so suddenly was a very brave decision. James smiled,

"Well..." James smiled slightly and moved to hold both of Jessie's hands. Both Jessie and Meowth were confused at first. "That's true, but at least we'll be together, right?"

Jessie's face flushed red. Meowth looked on confused before a sinister grin came to his face.

"Jess? You okay? Your face looks so flushed." James stated as a gust of mountain wind blew through the valley, ruffling their hair, fur, and clothing. "You getting wind burn?"

Meowth started to snicker and Jessie huffed before pulling her hands from his and turning away slightly.

"Yeah... We will." Jessie nodded.

"So what's the plan? We can't just ditch the twerp or we could go right now," James spoke out.

"We stay. We continue doing what we're told. We are outnumbered and out witted here. The only way we can save da twerp and get out of here is tah wait until the perfect moment," Meowth explained.

"Better yet..." Jessie started. James and Meowth turned to look at her, "If we can save the twerp and get him outta here without anyone knowing it was us, then we could stay and help bring down Team Rocket on the inside. Maybe that could help us get off the cops' list too." Jessie offered.

"Yeah! Sounds like a great idea!" James nodded.

"Alright then, we're in agreement?" Meowth asked.

James and Jessie turned to him and the trio placed their hands in the circle. Arbok and Weezing suddenly released themselves followed by Seviper, Wobbuffet, Gourgeist, Swoobat, Frillish, Yanmega, Yamask, Amoonguss, Mime Jr., Carnivine, and Inkay.

"Huh? What are all you doing out here?" Jessie asked.

Arbok smiled and hissed something. "Char bok char char bok."

"Meowth?" James asked.

Meowth smiled and nodded, "They agree too. Especially Arbok and Weezing. They've experienced what being the good guys is like. They were just waiting for us to make our choice."

"Really, Weezing?" James asked.

"Weezing weez..." Weezing nodded.

"Well then... I guess this is it then..." Jessie frowned and then slowly a smile crept onto her face, "We're going try to fix things."

The whole group agreed in the somewhat overenthusiastic way that only the trio could. James and Meowth then turned with Jessie to head back towards the base after returning their pokemon. James and Meowth started talking a bit about their choice, but Jessie trailed behind a bit.

She stopped briefly and looked up at the sky. The stars were twinkling.

 _Momma... If you can hear me, I hope this is what you wanted for me. I feel... I feel like James and Meowth are the closest thing to family I_ _'_ _ve had in the long time and maybe what we were talking about is right._ _Maybe it_ _'_ _s time to do the right thing and not just temporarily. What do you think mom? Didn't you always just want more for me?_

Jessie sighed after a moment and looked down and held her hands together. She remembered how James had held her hands and talked so passionately about them being together. Of course he was probably just referring to the trio, not to he and her as a couple. A curious look appeared on her face and disappeared as quickly. She wasn't sure what she thought about James in that way. Sometimes he was over sensitive, a weeny, and quite clueless, but he'd shown a kind of loyally that few men in her life had ever shown her before. Even in Kalos when she had met Doctor White, it hadn't felt right. Her partner had even been willing to leave her to her found happiness. Before she'd found James and Meowth again, it had, for a moment, almost felt like… she'd cheated on him, but that was just silly.

 _No. I can_ _'_ _t let myself get sucked in again. Even if I don_ _'_ _t think James would be that way, besides he may be afraid after his experience with Jessebelle._

Jessie looked back up into the sky to see a shooting star. She took it as a sign. _Okay then,_ _i_ _t_ _'_ _s time to blaze a new trail, like a shooting star. Wish me luck, momma_ _._

With that she caught up to the other two and they returned to base and slipped back inside and then into their rooms after checking out of the gym, without being seen.

zzz-Tree of Beginning-zzz

The crystals in the center of the ceiling of the main lake cavern glowed a fierce pink. Shortly after, a shining pink shape slipped out from the clear stone and slowly solidified into the shape of Mew.

"Mew." The mother of all pokemon looked around in sadness at the practically empty tree. There were a few pokemon left, but most of those were small and could easily hide from the attackers that had come.

Mew's blue eyes rolled up to the heavens and her tail flicked back and forth before she suddenly teleported.

zzz-Fire Island-zzz

Mew could feel the heat of the lava the moment she appeared in her desired location, as well as the beating of the rain and wind from the storm system that had settled over the ocean. She locked her large eyes on the massive pit of hot liquid rock below her. _**Titan of Fire? Please are you there? Awaken!**_

A red glow from below illuminated from underneath the lava. Slowly it died away and silence, besides the pops from lava bubbles and the pattering of wind and rain, pervaded the caldera. Suddenly an explosion of lava and hot air erupted from the pit and Moltres burst from from depths of the molten rock.

 _ **Arceus calls for you!**_

The bird let out a echoing cry in response before Mew vanished.

zzz-Lightning Island-zzz

A glowing ball of electric energy surged through the bluish rocks after Mew had made her declaration. Zapdos burst out from a giant bolt of lightning which came from the glowing stones. The lightning bird let out a thunderous screech.

Mew teleported.

zzz-Ice Island-zzz

Ice started to drift off of the tall icy rocks and form into a mist. The mist began to spin until a whirlwind of cold air and snow whipped itself into a frenzy. It burst apart revealing Articuno, whom let out a high pitched trill.

Mew faded from sight.

zzz-Mountains north of Cerulean-zzz

Noland was busy feeding his pokemon while he thought about the most recent news. Everyone in the League, including all gym leaders and frontier brains that were old enough to be involved with the efforts, were at the ready. They could be called up any moment now to raid Team Rocket's bases.

Hopefully he could keep his own pokemon fed and prepared. Noland flinched when he heard a cry. He then looked up and saw his friend, Articuno, flying over his head. A tinier pink form floated in the air before it vanished with a pink glow.

zzz-Whirl Islands-zzz

Little Silver sat and watched with Oliver as his mother and his uncle flew off after a small pink cat had called out to them about Arceus needing them. He hoped that they would be okay. Silver whined and Oliver patted his head.

"It'll be okay, buddy." Oliver looked out towards the sea where the storms were still raging. "I hope."

zzz-Bell tower-zzz

Morty had stumbled back and nearly fallen from the top of Bell Tower when a pink creature, that he thought could possibly be the legendary Mew, appeared right in front of him and had head butted the bells. Ho-oh had appeared soon after and flown into the sky, leaving a rainbow in its wake.

zzz-Samiya-zzz

It had been a long time since she had been completely submerged in water. She called out to the princes of the sea and they began to swim out from Samiya and swim through the water with her. Her tail waved like a snake as she moved through the waters. She teleported out from amongst them once her message had been received.

zzz-Sky tower-zzz

 _ **It is time…**_ Rayquaza looked at Mew and nodded. After the pink feline had left, Rayquaza let out a chilling roar that all of Hoenn could hear. The clouds around the tower that had been thick and opaque, dissipated and the dragon took off towards Sinnoh.

zzz-Forina-zzz

Mew nearly fell into a game of hide and seek with Jirachi as they darted around the colorful cave of crystals. Eventually their playfulness faded and with her decree given, she left.

zzz-Snowpoint-zzz

She watched as the snow fluttered down from the giants form and the ice, that had gathered around his joints and feet, crack and break apart as he stood. The lights from his orbs blinked in a specific order.

He had to gather any of the other Regis he could find.

zzz-Battle Pyramid-zzz

Brandon watched in surprise as his Regis twitched and shifted nervously as his other pokemon ate.

"Hmm…"

zzz-Eindoak-zzz

Victini only needed to see Mew appear before he was flying into the sky and figuring out what was the quickest way to get to Sinnoh.

zzz-Diamond Domain-zzz

Mew had just left as Diancie bowed her head. Dace hummed. _**Shall I ready the troops, princess?**_

Diancie nodded. _**Yes. Have them gather by the western lava tube.**_

zzz-Terminus Cave-zzz

Mew vanished in a flash of pink light. Zygarde hummed.

 _ **We must go**_

 _ **Yes, this beautiful world needs us.**_

Zygarde then glanced at the two whom had taken refuge with them. Volcanion, in response, looked over at Magearna. _**What do you think?**_

 _ **The Dark One wishes to crush all life. We can not let that happen. Life is precious.**_ The artificial pokemon urged earnestly.

zzz-Hall of Origin-zzz

ZZZ-Pokemon Translator Activated-ZZZ

Arceus rested calmly on his throne with his eyes closed, as multitudes of pokemon appeared in his hall so that he may carry them to battle when the time came. He could feel the nervousness and anger coming from the Guardians, knowing they were concerned for their last ember whom was in the grasp of the enemy.

"Father?"

Arceus glanced up and saw Mew floating there. "You've been doing a wonderful job. Have you come to make a count of who's missing?" Mew nodded and looked around a bit. She made to disappear and Arceus spoke again. "Be careful my daughter."

Mew vanished, heading off to find other pokemon to recruit in the world, and Arceus continued to sit and was about to close his eyes again when Palkia hummed.

"They really are gone aren't they? I can feel it. The connection is broken."

"Yes. Hopefully we can save them."

"And what of Time and Anti-matter, who will guard them?"

"I have severed their connection to those things for now… if things get really bad…" Arceus grew quiet. "Then I suppose I'll have to replace them." Palkia grew silent after that as Arceus wondered over the lie he'd told his child. He wasn't sure he could make new guardians of Time or Anti-matter. He was nothing like he used to be. Not at all.

zzz-Rota / Earlier that day-zzz

Lance froze and glanced over at the balcony of his room in the palace. He'd been working on some various paperwork and going over some last minute things before he was going to try catch up to Riley and the others and try one last time to stop them, when he'd heard a small cry.

A Crobat was sitting on the railing, holding a white roll of paper in his claws.

Lance opened the door and was offered the note. After he had gotten the chance to read it, the Champion looked out towards the mountains.

* * *

 **So there you have it. Everyone's in motion and dominoes are about to start falling. It's a lot to juggle and I'm trying my hardest! Hope you enjoyed!**

* * *

 **Answers to Reviews:**

 **LEGAL-EAGLE53:So wait, is Red's body buried in Yveltal's cave? Yveltal has two ls in it and you only put in one. Just thought I'd let you know. Are Blue and Green (Oak) buried in Pallet Town? I think I might have asked this, but has every dexholder/supporting characters' Pokemon evolved? Are Coronia and Maeve OCs? What arc did Chili and Coronia become a couple in? Same question, but with Cress and Burgundy. Is Ursula the only girl in her group? Any ideas on who you'll put Anabel with?**

 **NoSignal: Yes, Red and his team are incased in crystal there. Thanks! I've got a lot of pokemon name spelling errors I've got to go back and fix eventually. Yes. Mostly, I don't know every last one off the top of my head, but Most of them. Yes. I think Unova for both. Ursula isn't the only girl in her Master Challenge group, but she is the only girl in "Damian's" group. When you say with, do you mean as a couple or on her team? I might have answered these a long time ago, but I thought I'd just answer them again here.**

 **Kasumi96: Also how come the tree didnt defend itself against team rocket like in the movie with those orange thingys?**

 **NoSignal: Partly because of their aura cloaking technology and partly because Mew had put the Tree to sleep to defend herself and the Tree. She new she couldn't be caught no matter how sad that made her and if the Tree had stayed awake during the assault, it would've died and the world needs that Tree now more than ever.**

 **RSBCS: Now, I know it was said N may become a potential guardian in the future, but how come he went to Cameron Palace to be trained in it? So far, he hasn't exhibited any potential to actually use it yet, from last observation, besides communicating with Pokemon. Also, why didn't Ellie just return to the palace herself? Riley and Lucario would have picked up on what happened and done something, wouldn't they? However you are doing you're story, great work. It's really awesome thus far. Also, if you are ever on deviantART (it's how I find your story here), Can I ask for some feedback on a Pokemon story of my own? Anyways, Merry Christmas!**

 **NoSignal: He wants to learn as much as he can about what his future may hold. Also though Riley isn't a pure lineage guardian, he can use aura. There are things he can learn in preparation for the future, that's all. :) She was a bit lost and didn't know how to get back to the Palace. Pokemon don't always pay attention to where they're trainers are heading. When I was learning to drive to the first time, I noticed I hardly knew how to get anywhere seeing as I didn't pay attention to where my parents were taking me when I was younger. You'd be surprised what you miss if your are purposefully focused on it. :) Thanks so much for your praise. It means a lot. I'm not on Deviantart anymore as you might have noticed, but I'd still read it as a guest if you like and tell you in a future chapter or PM(if you ever get an account on here) what I think.**

 **sparkydragon98: My question about Ritchie and Assunta: How come they're not on either of the lists in the first chapter? Do they not count as a couple?**

 **NoSignal: They're getting there, but they've only met a few times so far. They don't have much previous history with each other either. Give them a bit of time. They might not be mentioned as a couple until the drabble sequel to the Master Challenge. As for your suggestions, I'll take them into account and try my hardest to make good choices for the actual tournament.**

 **NoSignal to Alina 122: Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much. I'm honored by your praise.**

 **Master of Aura sir Ash Ketchum: wait that pendant with queen Ilene have is it pendant from Sir Aaron Santos hi?**

 **NoSignal: Queen Ilene owns her ancestor's pendant, who wore it during Sir Aaron's time.**

 **sparkydragon98: Could you give Anabel a Sigilyph?**

 **NoSignal: I'll think about it! It does seem like a good pokemon for her to have. I'll see what I can do.**

* * *

 **NoSignal to All: I just wanted to thank you all so much for your kind words, support, and understanding for my Hiatus. I was able to get through the semester with greater ease because of your kindness. Thank you all so so much.**

* * *

 **I've decided to give you guys a list of the new pokemon caught after each chapter so that new pokemon aren't spoiled but you also can remember which pokemon are new and aren't on the list at the start of the Arc.**

 **Pokemon: N/A**

* * *

 **So there you are I hope this helps some :) If you ever need the full list, minus the newest additions, it's at the beginning of the Arc.**

 **Follow, Fav, Review, but most importantly, Enjoy! :D**

 **~NoSignal**


	7. Bait and Switch

**PLEASE READ THE AN! (pretty please?)**

 **Well hey there everyone! I'm so sorry about how long this took. I got way busy over the Summer, and some school stuff got in my way (testing), but more so than all of that, the mother of all writer's blocks nailed me for this story. I haven't had that happen in a long while. I think it has something to do with all of the loose ends finally coming together and me trying to make sure I don't forget anything. Regardless, I finally got this out. Hopefully it won't take as long next time. But even if it does, I will get through this.**

 **If you ever need info on my update schedule, CHECK MY PROFILE. I try to keep that up to date as frequently as possible (since there isn't many ways to talk with readers/followers en mass on fanfiction.**

 **Two last little notes before you continue:**

 **One I have a tumblr now. Just in case you're interested. I'm not sure what I'm doing with it, but I thought it might be a good place to talk more freely with readers en mass.**

 **And number two, I think I've already told you guys that I plan to revamp this story in the future (because it's old, I've grown as a writer, and etc.) Point is, I was wondering... What do you guys think about the manga characters being in this story the way they are? Do the issues that arise with that kind of timeline bother you? Do you think the story would be better if I could somehow remove that element from the story?**

 **I'm asking because I've been thinking about retconning the manga characters out of the story in the revamped version (It'll be a separate story from this one, so this story/series won't disappear).**

 **Please tell me what you think about this possible change in a review.**

 **Alright then, onwards to the chapter, and enjoy!**

* * *

Normal Talk

 _Thoughts_

 **Lucario talking unless stated otherwise**

 **Zoroark talking unless stated otherwise**

 _ **Mienshao talking unless stated otherwise**_

Let the journey continue...

* * *

zzz-Sublevel 3-zzz

ZZZ-Pokemon Translator Activated-ZZZ

In time, not only did his blood ebb and flow, but so did his aura. The sound of his own heartbeat gave his observation and meditative analysis a rhythm. He had been taking count of their movements, memorizing what the guards did. It wasn't always the same for every single agent, but it was close enough. He could only suppose that the evil head of this place didn't care if their prisoners could see everything inside. That meant that either they were more arrogant than he had thought, or they were certain their captives would never go outside again without permission.

He tried hard to banish such a dark thought, even as something fundamentally wrong, a certain base wrongness about the earth itself screamed at him that doom was coming. He was both thankful and troubled by the signature that was out of place and moving towards them.

Lucario's eyes slid open and he glanced to his right to see Meowth darting between crates until he was right next to the clear wall, but still within the shadows of the cage's base.

 **What are you doing here?**

Meowth and the others in the cage seemed to flinch at the sudden mental intrusion.

 _ **Who are you talking to, Lucario?**_ Tyranitar mumbled.

 **Meowth. He is next to the cage.**

 _ **Can you ask him to come a little closer? I needed something to pick my teeth with.**_ Salamance snarled.

 _ **Heh heh. Tough crowd.**_ Meowth gulped.

 _ **You think?**_ Floatzel snapped his teeth next to the cage, making Meowth yelp quietly and stumble back into a tower of other pokemon's cages.

 _ **Okay! Okay, I get it! Youse hate my guts right now. But you've got to quiet down and listen to me.**_

 _ **Go away. I don't want to see your face right now. It's not good for my blood pressure.**_ Blastoise snarked.

Meowth deflated a bit before he shook his head and growled. _**Fine den! Let your trainer down, but I always thought I remembered youse guys caring about em more than dis!**_

 _ **What are you talking about, fur ball?**_ Houndoom threatened, and let his lips curl off of his teeth.

Pikachu rushed over to that side of the cage, squeezing between everyone to get up front. _**What do you mean?**_

 _ **Huh, thought that would get your attentions**_. Meowth muttered. He let out a big sigh. _**Look, me an Jessie an James have been talkin and we aren't so sure… this is right… even for us anymore. We want to help you guys. The problem is that something happened outside.**_

 _ **What kind of thing?**_ Meinshao asked calmly.

 _ **Agent Domino was out doing recruiting and brought in some fresh meat. Problem is, right when they were led to the base, she and her escort grunts were knocked out. Had to uv been someone pretty skilled to sneak up on her like dat. Anyways, the new recruits were gone and the Boss has been planing on making his move. We don't have much time. The League won't get here quick enough even if they know where the base is now.**_ Meowth expressed.

Pikachu nodded. _**Okay, so what's the plan?**_

Meowth sighed. _**We can't help you guys yet. We have to wait closer to when we leave. Maybe during the chaos you can bust out. The point isn't what we can do for you. I think you can all handle yourselves pretty well, but the twerp is worn down. Mostly I'm here to tell you we're breaking him out soon and that you need to be ready to break out yourselves if you want to before the big move.**_

Pikachu's cheeks sparked a bit and then his face was set. _**Got it, you guys get Ash out of here. We can handle ourselves.**_

Meowth saluted and then turned to run off.

 _ **He'll fight it, but tell him we'll catch up, okay? It's our turn.**_

Meowth looked over his shoulder at the large group of pokemon, some he knew a bit more than others. It was funny, even though they weren't friends, he knew them all so well. _ **You got it.**_ He then snuck out of the room

Ash's pokemon looked at each other. At least now they could break out when the next grunt or group of people came by. They wouldn't have to worry about Ash in their escape.

 _ **Perfect, I wanted to make a bit of a mess on the way out.**_ Charizard snorted but also gave a deep growl. Silent anticipation welled up inside the pokemon present.

ZZZ-Pokemon Translator Deactivated-ZZZ

zzz-Cell block-zzz

"You need to eat."

He rewarded her with silence. Ever since the most recent test, he'd felt… bad. He wasn't really sure how to describe what he was feeling. It was a thing inside him that reminded him of a sci-fi movie he watched once with Cilan and Iris that had a mutated alien that was leaving its eggs inside of people. It wasn't of him, it was something that didn't belong. He wanted to groan, but at this point, it was redundant. He knew he wouldn't be given sympathy or even teasing, which from some of his friends would be their form of sympathy.

"Curling up and letting yourself die won't help anyone…" The voice faded off and he knew that she had realized her own lack of authority to say such a thing. After all, she was a reason, even if not a large reason, that he was here. He knew better than to blame every single grunt in Team Rocket, Cory had been evidence enough, but sweet Arceus couldn't he be allowed to be angry?

"Just stop."

The girl with brown hair and dark blue eyes still didn't move. Even though it almost hurt to try, he could, without much effort, just know someone was still behind him while he laid on his cot and faced the wall.

"I'm sorry." He heard a small intake of breath and wondered if she had surprised herself with that comment. He wanted to hate her and say something cruel, but the idea caused the thing in him to stir. More importantly, it just wasn't him. Ash let out a sigh.

"What for?"

There was a long pause and if not for aura, he might've thought she'd left.

"I don't kill. That was my only rule. At first, he thought it was stupid. I know he did, but I was determined to prove to him that I could fight for him and not kill. It's worked. He allows me to do that…"

Ash heard the unspoken but at the end. He decided to actually give his warden, who had been feeding him during his stay in hell, a rare show of his face. He rolled to face her. Her dark blue eyes seemed a bit startled to see his brown ones. He nearly felt a twinge of pain, thinking that seeing any color of pale colored eyes would remind him of Misty. They both remained that way for a moment. The young woman's eyes were seemingly focused on how… lifeless the prisoner's seemed. They were dull and distant as if they were seeing angels already.

"I'm…"

"Yes?"

"Do you believe, that there are fates worse than death?" She asked softly. It was somewhat obvious that recent events had caused the girl to rethink something deeply ingrained in her.

Ash considered her question for a moment. He thought about his father, he thought about the pain he's seen in others who have dealt with various types of loss and grief, then he reminded himself of more permanent things, the curse of immortality, the idea of suffering for eternity in Giratina's realm. All of these things were easy to spout out.

"Yes. I'm sure you can figure out some of those, but I think the worst is not trying your best in an unfair world. If you do everything you can to make the world better, in your own way, then there's nothing else you can do more."

Ash watched as she twisted her mouth, bitting her lip. "Team Rocket- Giovanni wants to make the world better. People won't ever have to worry about crime or anything else ever again-"

"Sounds boring and sad." Her head whipped up to look at Ash. "I mean, how do you know if people want that?"

"Sometimes people need something rather than want it."

"Yeah, but if Robles wins, there will be nothing left," Ash expressed.

"He-"

"Wants to destroy everything. He's using Giovanni. Then again, Giovanni probably knows. I'm just not sure he realizes what Robles can and will do. I'v watched Giovanni bite off more than he could chew many times. I'm not confident enough in his history to assume Robles won't succeed."

"You could warn me and I could tell…"

"Do you honestly think Giovanni will stop, now?"

The girl was silent. Ash saw that her tanned skin was getting a bit ashy. Perhaps she was realizing what was at stake. She rubbed the R pendant that was on the choker around her neck as though it she was considering the symbol that it was.

Suddenly there was a noise. A bucket rolled out from behind a corner and stopped in the hall. Ash's eyes dilated a bit when he realized who was hiding. He gave the girl a quick glance and saw she was staring at the bucket intensely.

Behind the corner, Jessie was grasping at James' mouth, trying to keep him quiet after their slight blunder.

Eventually, the girl turned and looked at Ash in a distracted manner. "You should eat. Try to get some rest." She turned to walk off, causing her long brown ponytail to whip with her movement. Ash smiled slightly.

"What's your name?"

Without pausing, she replied. "Rain Tanaka."

Then she was gone. He glanced over and saw Jessie peek around the corner. With a bit of effort, he leaned up and walked closer to the bars as the duo approached.

"What are you two sneaking around for?"

Jessie froze and gave him a frown, one that was thoughtful rather than her typical scowl. "We um…"

Ash was surprised by the pure determination that had spawned on James' face. "We're getting you out of here. We aren't part of Team Rocket anymore."

Ash blinked in slightly stunned silence when he realized he wasn't joking.

"Where is Meowth? He should be here by now. He's the only one that knows how to unlock this thing," Jessie muttered.

"I'm here. Calm down," Meowth grumbled and trotted over to the cell door. He then glanced at James and crawled up to his shoulder so he had a better position to work. The young man bent down until the pokemon was level with the lock. "Okay, the key slot I can handle easy, but the card reader is a problem. Even if I had a card, we'd leave data that said we had been the ones to let him out and at what time. We need to damage the door itself so that the lock actually remains locked and untouched."

"I bet Arbok or Seviper has strong enough poison for that," Jessie expressed.

"True, but it'll be time consuming…" James countered.

"I can tell you if anyone is coming," Ash murmured quietly. He had to bury whatever grudge or hurt he still had from their previous betrayal for now.

"I guess," Meowth replied hesitantly.

Jessie nodded and released Seviper, asking the snake to be as quiet as possible. The serpent appeared and then carefully wedged his two fangs around some of the bars, slowly letting acidic venom dribble down the side and melt the metal.

The awkward silence was thick save for the noises coming from Seviper's actions and Ash's somewhat labored breathing.

James tried to look into Ash's downcast eyes. "Are you okay?" He nearly squealed when he received a powerful glare in return.

"Gee, swell. Peachy even."

Jessie nudged James harshly causing the blue-haired man look at her. He saw a cold-emotionless mask there, with a hint of pain. She shook her head. Jessie knew how much James hated to leave things alone when it came to emotions, but her silent warning urged him to drop it for now.

"En here-" Meowth instructed Seviper.

"What about my pokemon?"

Meowth glanced up and was actually able to see Ash's eyes. He had to hide a shutter at the dullness in them. He'd seen the twerp in bad spots before, but this was different. "They'll take care of themselves. They said-"

"No. I can't leave them here."

Meowth's face grew impatient. "I get it, alright? I talked to them. They said to make sure you got out. We can't free them at the same time. We have to free you now because of the alert that came up from Domino. The boss is trying to figure out how long we have before the League finds the base-"

"Then they need to be freed as much as I do!" Ash whisper-shouted.

Meowth growled. "No they don't. They have their own plan, they have each other. They have their own say in this. They aren't defenseless just cause they ain't human."

"They'll try to capture them. They crushed their poke balls."

Meowth snorted. "And you're half-dead. Shut up and get out. They'll come. Best case scenario is that in the ruckus of moving, the boss will just leave them. Another likely one is that they'll escape not too long after you." Meowth's face then relaxed a bit. "Let them do this for you."

Ash couldn't seem to form words after that. Seconds after, there was the slight ringing of metal when the bars snapped. James carefully pulled out the entire locking mechanism as Jessie watched Ash stumble out.

"Now what?" Ash asked.

"We have an escape route planned, come on-" Jessie instructed and moved to direct the group down the hall. Ash followed after them, trying to keep his feet from dragging. James huffed and forcefully lifted one of Ash's arms over his shoulder.

"I know, but you're about to face plant."

Ash stayed silent at that and focused on trying to ignore the twinge in his chest each time his body was jarred from walking.

"Do you remember where all the cameras are?" Jessie murmured to Meowth.

The feline looked up at her and nodded. "Yeah. It won't be a problem until the elevator."

"How will we hide him in there?" James asked in surprise.

"We'd go up the stairs, but Ash is worn out and there are a bazillion cameras all up that stairwell. We're going to up one level on the stairs and then take the elevator. We should be fine then."

Jessie nodded at Seviper as she returned him and then looked at James. "Get ready to use Weezing. Smokescreen will cloak all of us. They'll be suspicious but they won't be able to do anything immediately."

After they had rushed up one flight of stairs, James slid his other hand into his pocket as they neared the elevator doors. "Smokescreen, Weezing."

"Weezing…" Weezing droned before expelling a blast of smoke into the open doors. The group ran in, their eyes watering. Ash hacked slightly, seemingly having more trouble with the smoke.

Jessie stood in silence as she saw the number in the elevator slowly decrease from the sub-levels to the ground floor.

zzz-Forests North of Rota-zzz

Iris was honestly trying her best to not think too hard about what was going on. If she didn't try to distract herself, then she'd immediately start thinking of the worst case scenarios. As much as she wanted to believe they would be able to find Ash and pull him out of the hell hole he'd found himself in, she had already started to imagine what it would be like to stare at one of her best friend's body. It made her a little disgusted in herself that she kept running the idea through her head. She couldn't help it though.

"Emol?" Iris was briefly distracted by Emolga, who was looking at her with a surprisingly solemn look on her face. The sounds of the soldiers marching around her as well as the foot-falls of her friends and the various pokemon out became more pronounced in her hearing now that she was more present.

Iris gave a sad smile. "Worried about Serperior?"

Emolga seemed to huff slightly at the thought of her pseudo-rival, but soon let out her held breath. "Emolga…"

Iris took a look up to her left to see Cilan's own face, set in a complex expression. It was the closest he could probably get to a scowl, but it was complicated by intelligence and pondering rather than being born of pure emotion. Maybe he was doing the same thing as her, trying to prepare himself for what they could find. She sought to hold his hand to find some modicum of comfort. He squeezed back, but didn't smile as he normally would.

Paul on the other hand, was barely containing the torrent of unbridled rage boiling inside of him. He was angry at everything at the moment. He was angry at his friends, for becoming his friends and giving him a reason to feel such pain, he was furious with his father for being sentimental and weak enough to fall for Giovanni's snare to begin with, and he was contemplating letting his pokemon go no holds barred against any human being that sported a big red R on their chest. He didn't really care if he was being completely irrational in his mind. He nearly snarled when Samurai accidentally bumped into him; the trainer didn't seem to notice the issue because of his thick metal armor, however.

"Focus. Have a temper tantrum later." Paul glared first at the hand that now rested on his shoulder and then at it's owner, Gary. Neither spoke as Gary removed his hand and kept marching.

Clemont blinked after having watched the interaction between Gary and Paul before focusing back on the woods ahead of him. He glanced over at Serena, who surprisingly had a look of pure murder on her face. It was a determination that he hadn't seen from her in a while. It seemed to be that all of her once romantic love had been transformed into a fierce familial protectiveness. If Clemont was honest, he really liked that. It gave him a boost of confidence as well and helped him turn his eyes back towards the front.

He spied Misty up there, fists clenched tight and Ellie on her shoulder. He couldn't see her face, but Clemont wasn't sure he wanted to. Riley was even farther ahead, his Lucario right by his side. The young man flinched when a voice spoke in his head and everyone else's.

 **"We're exiting the forest soon."** Lucario's voice echoed.

zzz-Conference Room-zzz

"We've been compromised, hmm?" Giovanni asked.

"Yes sir, by some unknown assailant," Domino's face was twisted with venomous anger as she considered who it could be that had jumped her and the other two grunts.

"I suppose we'll need to leave then, won't we?" Giovanni expressed and rose from his chair. Robles merely watched him briefly before staring at the door. Seconds later, a grunt with a headset came running in.

"Sir!" The grunt saluted. "We picked up something strange in the monitors. Someone used smokescreen in one of the elevators."

Domino rose a brow as the grunt continued to explain that he'd already sent some grunts to go and check it out. Giovanni merely narrowed his eyes. "What sub-level did these mystery people enter the elevator at?"

"Sub-level 9, sir."

Giovanni blinked and the grunt could've sworn he saw a twitch in his boss's lips.

"Proceed then. Tell me if you find anything. Also send a call out through the base to not travel outside the walls until the order is lifted."

"Yes, sir!" The grunt scurried away after that. Robles's eyes burned red as he stared at Giovanni's back.

zzz-Outside Team Rocket Base-zzz

It was similar to the feeling one gets when a person walks into the light after a long time in the darkness. Their eyes will contract, trying to keep out so much of the light that's trying to enter them.

For Ash and his aura, it was worse. He'd been inside of a building, often separated from most human and living contact as often as was possible, and frequently given shackles so that his aura wouldn't be active to begin with. So now he was outside, with not only people, but pokemon, trees, and all other walks of life bursting with aura.

As soon as they'd gotten within the distance needed to see the forest, Ash had nearly gone to his knees. Every one of his muscles grew tight and that only caused the thing that was inside him to roll and burn in his gut.

"Whoa! Geeze, what was that about!" Jessie snapped, working with James to try and keep Ash walking.

Ash wanted to say something snarky to her because he was still mad at them, but he ended up just being somewhat compliant instead. "The aura… hit me all at once. I'll get better eventually." He was silent for a moment before he asked something. "Where are you planning to take me?"

James saw Jessie's face contort into a familiar irritated snarl, so he took the risk to answer first. "We want to help bring Team Rocket down, so we're going to try and act as spies until this is all over. We could just run with you, now, but…"

Ash felt a bit of surprise rush through him. They were going to stay? They were going to risk their safety more than they already had? That was… new. Usually the trio thrived from doing the bare minimum in the responsibility department.

"Halt!"

"Ash!"

Ash felt a tirade of emotions wear on his already tired body. If he'd been weak in the knees from the onset of being reintroduced to the aura of a bunch of living things, then he had no knees to speak of when he turned and was suddenly faced with almost everyone he loved, plus Riley leading a squadron of the Rotisian army.

Several soldiers had their bayonetted rifles pointed right at the three ex-Team Rocket members.

"Don't move!"

Ash saw Misty and the others rushing up to them and he felt his pride shrivel slightly. Instead of doing anything, he glanced at Riley and shook his head. The man seemed to understand and used a hand to lower one of the men's rifle barrels. "I believe we have these three to thank for Ash's presence here, men. Lower your rifles."

Reluctantly, the men obeyed, just in time for Misty to push her way there. "Ash!" A awkward pause followed as Misty looked at her friend and boyfriend, and took account of what damage could be seen. Instead of asking, she smiled the best she could. "You'll be okay now."

If there hadn't been such a large audience, Ash was certain he might have sobbed like a baby. He swallowed thickly and smiled back. "Yeah."

As Brock stepped forward in front of the others to be closer, Jessie and James helped pass their cargo into more capable hands. Misty was surprised to find herself locking eyes with Jessie and seeing a flash of history in them. She wasn't sure what to call it, but she couldn't think of it much for now.

"Hands behind your backs!" A soldier shouted suddenly, breaking the solemn silence.

The other trainers saw Jessie's eyes harden and James' grow large. Meowth looked like he wanted to simply bolt.

Jessie turned her head away and crossed her arms. "Not happening."

Riley frowned. "I'm afraid, there's no discussion. You're a part of a criminal group. There's a warrant for your arrest."

James spoke up next. "We know and we understand. We'll come quietly, after we help bring down Team Rocket."

Several of the army men started to chatter, while others just laughed at such a thing.

Assunta huffed. "What makes you so sure that you'll be able to do anything?"

James looked at the trainers that were mixed in with the army, and focused on them, knowing they might understand better. "We know we messed up. It just took us a long time to figure out that… we might have never been sure of what we ever really wanted."

Jessie seemed surprised by the comment and stared at James silently.

"Da point that Jimmy is tryan to make is dis, we want to fix things the best we can. We'll stay with Team Rocket until it's ended. We'll try to sabotage them. Then… Then you can declaw me for all I care!"

N seemed surprised by such a statement but remained silent.

"Sir?" a soldier asked glancing at Riley. Riley was quiet for a moment before he glanced at Ash, who was starting to look like he would pass out.

"What do you think, Ashton?" Ash jerked slightly, causing his friends to look at him worriedly. He then glanced up and stared at the trio for a long moment. With a glance at Riley, the other guardian got his answer. "I see." The man then looked at the trio as his Lucario produced a rod of blue aura. The aura pokemon jabbed it into the ground causing a wave of mud to splatter over the three people before them.

Of course, the members of the trio let out their own surprised screeches. After it was over, they were blinking through dripping mud.

"Mudslap?" Max questioned curiously.

"Soldier?" Riley asked.

A man blinked at him and nodded. "Yes sir?"

"It appears as though we have these three strangers to thank for the safe return of our companion. We should allow them to carry on their way, seeing as there is no obvious sign they there are unsavory persons."

The soldier looked at the three confused people. "Um…"

"I don't see a red R on their shirts, do you?"

Understanding then seemed to dawn on many, though that didn't mean everyone was in agreement.

"What is this, some kind Arceus-damned joke? What'll keep them from warning the enemy?!" A random soldier bellowed out. Many others started to mirror their agreement.

"Master Riley and Ashton have given their orders, you ungrateful maggot!" Another shouted in response.

A whole cacophony of shouting and name calling sounded soon after, before Riley suddenly barked. "Enough!"

Silence came over the clearing. "You're all acting like children. Besides, they have no objection to turning themselves in afterwards. And if by some chance they escape, then we'll hunt them down. I'll personally hunt them down if I must."

Everyone grew silent at that, until a familiar Ursaring was staring down at the trio, growling. Paul was flat out glaring at them. "I for one, don't feel so forgiving at the moment."

"I agree. I don't know these guys half as much as the others do, but they've always been up to no good." Stephan narrowed his eyes and his Sawk smacked his fist into his palm.

Alain kept silent and clenched his fists until their were white. He had no right to really speak on the subject. After all, he knew what it was like to be used as a puppet and never know you were living with strings attached.

Gary seemed to have a contemplative look on his face and Leaf looked at him. "You not going to say anything? I think they should be arrested. We can't trust them." Gary hummed and nodded at Misty and Brock.

"I don't know their habits and sometimes during war, laws aren't followed to the T." Gary observed. "We have bigger things to focus on."

"Guys, just let them go. If they're willing to come back, then let them do what they feel they need to." Everyone turned to look at Ash.

"You can't be serious," Paul looked back.

Ash looked at his purple-haired friend, tiredly. "I am. Believe me, there are other things to worry about."

Paul grit his teeth before he waved for his pokemon to stand-down. Stephan did the same.

James and Jessie stared at Ash for a moment before they turned to run off. James stopped suddenly causing Jessie and Meowth to halt and look at him. The young man looked over his shoulder and nodded. "You need to hurry, the boss is wanting to get out before you come. He knows you're coming."

Before long, they were gone.

Riley turned to face everyone. "We're getting close to the main base. Those three, might give us a chance to get there before we miss them." He then looked at Misty, Brock, and Ash. "I would suggest you three head back. Anyone else can accompany them if they wish. Anyone who stays will be involved with the raid, is that understood?"

Everyone nodded quickly.

"Pika?" Everyone looked down and saw Ellie staring at Ash worriedly, while also looking around.

Ash looked at the little rodent and let out a quiet moan.

"Pikachu and the others are still in there, aren't they?" Brock asked suddenly. Ash simply closed his eyes. At that Brock gently squeezed his friend's shoulder. "You did the right thing. Team Rocket couldn't have gotten you out if they had to worry about freeing your pokemon too. We'll get them back."

"Chu!" Ellie announced with passion behind her exclamation.

Before anything else could be said, a Dragonite flew down to the ground amongst them, showing Lance.

"We need to hurry. It isn't far away. I can lead you directly there now. I have precise coordinates."

"Understood, let's go." Riley turned and started into a run with Lance and the army right behind. Marina, Vincent, and Bianca broke off to stay and help get Misty, Brock, and Ash back to Cameran Palace, while the rest charged into the woods after the army, something close to revenge burning in their hearts.

zzz-Sub-level 3-zzz

ZZZ-Pokemon Translator Activated-ZZZ

"We need to act soon. I'm getting the vibe that the bad guys are wanting to fly the coop," Scrafty murmured.

"Is everyone ready?" Gengar asked quietly.

Every one of the occupants nodded in agreement. Noctowl hummed and sat in silence, waiting for a grunt to wander past them.

After several minutes the pokemon started to get weary. Venusaur looked at Pikachu, who seemed to be considering something. "I'm guessing that you noticed that everything is too quiet, right?"

Pikachu nodded, trying to hide his worry. "I don't hear anything."

"I don't see anything either," Lucario hummed, letting his eyes open after searching with his aura.

"None of us do," Zoroark expressed worriedly.

"So then, what now?" Hawlucha questioned calmly, keeping his wings folded close to his body, but noticeably tense and ready to jump into movement.

"We wait. That was the plan and it's really the only possible way we can escape. These boxes are impenetrable from the inside," Honedge explained in earnest.

"But how long do we have until we're separated?" Staraptor questioned.

"They're hoping to keep us together so we don't try to escape. They won't separate us," Infernape replied.

"Then how do they expect to try to get us to fight for them. That's what they want, right?" Jolteon questioned.

"It is…" Espeon hummed.

"The only logical thing would be to use Ash against us."

At Meinshao's observation, all talking ceased for a moment or two.

"Well then, it's a good thing Ash has probably escaped by now," Blastoise announced, breaking some of the tension.

"That doesn't mean they won't figure out something. That blond man with the dumb hairdo has been working in this place. He might have that machine he used on Reshiram that one time, or something like it," Charizard pointed out.

Samurott, Krookadile, Emboar, and Serperior nodded in agreement. Pikachu glanced at the mothers that were present and saw them grow nervous.

"What are you all talking about?"

Everyone glanced over and saw that the pokemon in the cage next to them were staring.

"Um… what we had for lunch?" Garchomp offered. Pangoro rolled his eyes.

"You would say that."

"You're trying to escape aren't you?" The strange Golem asked. The rest of the pokemon in his cage watched silently.

"Indeed we are. Hopefully we can bring help as soon as possible," Meinshao offered.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Salamance hissed.

"You're going to let us out too, right?" A Poliwrath asked

The Golem elbowed the water-type. "Hush."

"Ultimately, yes." Rapidash expressed.

"Ultimately, yes, my slimy butt!" Poliwrath snarled.

"I said, Hush!" Golem barked. He then turned to look at Ash's pokemon again. "You're that boy's pokemon, aren't ya?"

Pikachu didn't look over, but nodded determinately. "Yes."

"Good luck to ya then. Obviously you're all a part of this nutcase's master plan or whatever." Golem huffed. "Just, ya know, don't forget about setting us free."

Pikachu was going to respond, but then Lucario stood up sharply. "Strange… all the members are gathering in one place."

Meinshao shut his eyes briefly to try and affirm the claim.

But then everything went dark.

ZZZ-Pokemon Translator De-activated-ZZZ

zzz-Rotisian Forest / Outside Team Rocket Base-zzz

"There it is!" A soldier shouted.

"I'm ready to tear them a new one," Georgia snarled as Burgundy and Trip ran beside her.

"Agreed," Trip replied somewhat emotionlessly.

"Wait! Maneuver C! Find cover!" Riley shouted. The army-men obeyed immediately while the others took a moment to register what had been said. Within a couple moments, everyone was behind cover. Riley pointed above the large metal tower and everyone suddenly noticed the being hovering above it.

"Wait… is that?" Serena whispered as her face slowly started to turn white.

"Mewtwo." Clemont murmured

"He looks…" Serena continued in a hushed whisper.

High up above the Team Rocket tower, Mewtwo X hovered. A blue aura swirled around him as he focused his psychic energies. Metal armor covered most of his body, minus his joints. The speakers in his headset crackled to life. "Teleport, now."

Mewtwo X silently lifted both arms above his head as the aura around him brightened.

Lance cursed and jumped out of hiding. "Dragonite, Hyperbeam, now!"

"Uuuraaah!" Dragonite cried out and fired off an orangish-yellow beam towards the hovering legendary.

The beam was simply deflected over a shield of energy and within that time, the Team Rocket tower glowed blue and then Mewtwo disappeared.

"Hurry!" Riley snapped and everyone charged towards the tower. Lance growled under his breath, giving one last look at where Mewtwo had been before rushing after the others.

Lance watched as Paul's Ursaring busted through the metal and glass front double doors, allowing everyone to rush in.

He stood with Riley as the soldiers and trainers went to investigate the many levels.

"They aren't here, are they?" Lance asked quietly.

Riley let out a frustrated breath through his nose. "Unless they're lower than the five sub-level's I'm able to sense or higher than the five floors above, then yes. We're still obligated to check, but in all likelihood, Mewtwo teleported them somewhere else."

Lance snarled and smashed the side of his fist into the wall beside him. "Damn them."

zzz-Cameran Palace-zzz

Several hours later, found the army, Lance, and the trainers returning to Rota. As soon as they had arrived, they'd learned that the Kanto-Johto elite four and some other League officials that were currently stationed in the Kanto-Johto area had arrived. Several councilmen had also come to discuss things.

Gary and Leaf were the only two trainers that had stayed up and out in the halls, while everyone else were decompressing from their trek or checking on Ash. They watched as a blond young man with light blue eyes walked up to Lance, the Elite Four, and Riley to talk.

"Who's that guy? Looks like he's a ranger," Leaf murmured.

"I think he's corporal Blackpearl. He's a ranger, like you said. I think gramps told me that he helps organize ranger efforts when rangers are set to Kanto or Johto for work. I think he's distant family of Lance's too," Gary explained.

"Explains why they look similar," Leaf expressed quietly.

The two were silent for a moment, listening to the hushed whispers of the people in the room.

"Where do you think they went?" Leaf suddenly whispered and looked into Gary's face to try and gauge what he was feeling.

The young professor looked down at her. "I can't say. They could've teleported anywhere. At least they still need the Orbs to start whatever plans they have."

Leaf nodded and glanced out of one of the windows to see Paul walking into the nearby woods surrounding the palace itself. "I wonder where Paul's off to."

Gary frowned and watched his friend disappear. "Probably to let off steam. After learning about what his dad was actually doing and then being unable to stop Team Rocket today, he's probably got some left over anger."

"It's kinda dark. You don't think he'll misstep and end up falling into the lake do you? There aren't many woods around the castle and it's a massive drop."

"I'll go check on him in a minute, if he doesn't come back."

Leaf hummed in agreement.

Meanwhile, Paul was marching through the woods, trying to reign in his anger. In all honesty, he wasn't even sure what he was specifically angry about.

Was it his father, Team Rocket, that he allowed himself to grow close enough to people in the first place even though he knew this pain would be the result? The only thing he could truly identify was frustration.

"Didn't want Dawn to see you like this?"

Paul froze and swung his gaze up towards the direction the voice came from. There was Silver standing straight and eyeing him.

Paul charged. Silver was able to catch the young man's arms before he could be battered by them. The two grunted and strained as they fought against each other, practically equal in strength.

"I don't want to see you! Your face, your eyes, everything about you makes me furious!" Paul yelled.

Silver stared back at his son with an even look. "That's not surprising nor is it abnormal. You've done nothing wrong."

Paul froze at that, feeling an eery and somewhat annoyed feeling crawling along his back. "What?"

"I just came here to tell you that you did nothing wrong."

Paul remained frozen for a moment before he swung back and delivered a powerful punch to Silver's face. The man stumbled back and had to catch himself on a tree.

"Of course I didn't!" Paul snapped. The young man's face was flushed from the struggle and his anger. "And even if I felt that way, I wouldn't need you to be the one to tell me!"

The two stood for a moment, staring at each other.

"Why would you do something so stupid?" Paul asked quietly, after a moment.

Silver's eyes roamed over his son's face and he finally shut them. "While there are many things that Reggie has done to try and make himself different, there is only one major thing that separates you from me." Silver hummed and pulled a poke ball from his jacket. Slowly he leaned down and placed the sphere on the ground. After staring at it for a long time, he glanced back up at Paul. "While I eventually did make friends with my fellow trainers and they did trust me…" A somewhat forlorn look seemed to flash across the man's face. "The problem was, I never truly trusted them to help, at least not all of them, and regrettably I still don't. That's why I took things into my own hands." He glanced up at Paul. "You do though. You trust these people. You're willing to be dependent at times."

Silver turned and started to walk off. He glanced back at Paul. "This is the best I can do for now."

Paul said nothing as Silver disappeared into the woods. He then slowly walked forward and stared down at the red and white sphere that was glinting in the setting sun. He leaned down and picked it up in his hand, studying it.

"Forgiveness is hard."

Paul's head snapped up and he saw Dawn walking towards him slowly. "What-"

"I only saw that Silver was walking away. I promise."

Paul relaxed a bit, but even still he didn't know why he cared if she saw anything more. "Hmm."

"It doesn't have to happen in any certain way, okay? And I'm not saying you even have to. The only thing I do want to say is that focusing on it and dwelling on it won't help. Try your best to forgive, in your own time, and if that just won't work, then try to at least let it go."

Paul let out a breath and watched as Dawn grew closer. "Yeah."

The young woman knew it was a placeholder word and didn't really have meaning, but she could also tell that he'd heard what she'd said. She reached out a hand and grasped his. "Let's go get some rest, okay?"

Paul nodded. "I want to go by Ash's room and check on him too."

Dawn smiled and nodded. "Sounds good."

zzz-Ash's room-zzz

Misty could tell something wasn't right.

As soon as they'd gotten Ash back to Rota, the doctors had swarmed him. They'd determined that he was worse for wear, but most of his issues weren't life-threatening. He'd suffered a couple of bruised ribs, various bruises and lacerations, moderate dehydration, malnutrition, and sleep deprivation. In conclusion, the doctors had said he just needed rest, food, and water.

Seemed simple enough.

But both Misty and Brock seemed to know just as much as Ash did, that something was wrong. Ash just kept rubbing at his chest. He'd try to stop, but he'd just forget again and start rubbing.

"You don't remember what they did to you that day?" Brock asked, in a characteristically soft voice that Misty had heard him use on so many occasions. It was a calming and understanding voice, but it wasn't so soft that it felt like one was being patronized.

Ash frowned deeply. "I remember that they wanted me to become a member of Team Rocket and that was why they were torturing me with lack of food, water, and sleep, but that day? No. I don't remember much of anything except it hurt. They did something, then I was in my cell and I was feeling a hundred times more sluggish than I had before. It feels like there's something inside of me… something… wrong. I'm surprised Riley or some of the other sensitive people here haven't felt it."

"So you think it has something to do with your aura?" Brock questioned.

"Yes." Ash murmured, getting lost in thought again, and Misty was certain she saw his head droop. He'd been fairly miserable after he'd learned that the Rocket base had teleported away, with his pokemon still inside. She and Brock had tried to distract him from that, by focusing on how to get him feeling better.

Brock leaned back a bit and nodded. "Well, that's definitely not my expertise. I think for now we should let you sleep and I'll ask Riley to come visit you tomorrow, though he probably planned to anyway." The doctor stood and rested a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Get some sleep. We'll figure this all out."

Misty then watched as Brock exited the room. She could hear Brock stop and start talking to what sounded like Paul and Dawn. She looked down at Ash and Ellie, who was curled up under her trainer's left armpit.

"She seems to think you're you." Misty murmured and then placed a hand on Ash's.

"Yeah… maybe it's nothing," Ash replied, though he didn't seem convinced and Misty wasn't honestly either, but she said nothing. She leaned down and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Get some sleep."

Ash gave her a tired smile and nodded. After his girlfriend left, Ash let himself lay back. He wasn't going to have an easy time of it though. Every breath seemed to remind him of the thing inside him. Multiple times, he'd tried to reach at it with his aura, but every time it would ache too much and he was so exhausted from everything that he simply had no energy to try and fight against it.

Slowly, Ash let his eyes slip closed. Finally, blissful unconsciousness took him and he slept.

* * *

 **So I hoped you enjoyed this. Things are going to get crazy in the next few chapters. Real conflict should start in the next chapter. Hopefully writing all the fighting that's coming won't wear me out too much. Wish me luck!**

 **And thank you all so much for your patience and for being awesome people! I appreciate you.**

* * *

 **Answers to Reviews:**

 **LEGAL-EAGLE53: Who is Vicious?**

 **NoSignal: The main bad dude in the Pokemon 4 Ever Movie**

 **Pikachu712:** **I noticed that Ash's oshawott in the anime fell for a lot of pokemon but didn't get a girl(female pokemon) so can you please consider giving misty an oshawott or pair ash's with one of misty's pokemon? Please!** **Who is the phantom hiding figure? Red maybe?** **And isn't there only one jirachi in the world?** **Has ash gotten out of that serum's effect or has he actually become phoenix? Was this giovanni's plan from the beginning? Did he also try to do this on red?** **I am so happy for the rocket trio cause they finally felt remorse and decide to help the twerp! :P** **War is upon the world! I know that rockets will lose but can't help but be excited to see what happens next.** **I hope Ash's pokemon rescue him and don't get their spirits broken down by rocket bastards.** **I hope you will update soon!** **Sorry for this long review (-_-')**

 **NoSignal: I might do that but it won't be after the Tournament. It's a myyyyysssttteerrrryyy! Nope there are actually two seperate canon ones in the anime (a movie one and one from a BW episode); there are even more than that in this series though. Hmm... I guess we'll see! Nope, Giovanni never caught Red in the same way, though he came close. Yep! They deserve to be the heroes they truly are inside. Sorry for taking so long to update, but thanks for the long review. I love em!**

 **Alexis Night: P.S. Does Damien's group joined Team Rocket as a Double agent or not? If it does then I forgive them and jessie,james and meowth as the bad guys. I for one had seen what futures they will have if they quit team rocket. Rejoice because war has begun** **P.P.S. good luck with your other fics** **P.P.S. how did Team Rocket capture that many Decoys and Jiraichi because I thought that Jiraichi is only one pokemon in the entire existence?**

 **NoSignal: Thanks first for your wonderful words of praise. Now for your questions. It seems like their plans fell apart to be psuedo-spies. Where Damian and his crew are now? I guess we'll have to see. Thank you for wishing me luck with my other stories. That actually is super appreciated. Thank you so much for your consideration. Lawerence and Robles were mostly how they were able to accomplish such a feat and in the master challenge series there are multiples of many legendaries. In the canon anime itself there are two seperate Jirachi and there were two Deoxys in the Deoxys movie, plus one extra in another Hoenn episode. So there's nothing really saying that there aren't more. Thank again for your review!**

 **NoSignal to Miss geek: Thanks so much for your kind words. I'm so sorry it's taken so long but I hope you are still enjoying the story. Thanks again!**

 **23StellaOrgana:** **Are Solgaleo and Lunala coming in?**

 **NoSignal: Sorta. I can't really explain how though. Eventually I think I'll be making a tumblr post about how Sun and Moon have effected this story and etc.**

 **NoSignal to JZuCuadra: Team Rocket and Robles mini-arc is all in one, then the Tournament related stuff after the fallout is dealt with. Thanks for the review!**

 **NoSignal to All: Thank you all so much for your kindness, patience (you saints you), and wonderful reviews! I do have other stories to work on as well as life, but I will get this darned thing done. Until next time!**

* * *

 **I've decided to give you guys a list of the new pokemon caught after each chapter so that new pokemon aren't spoiled but you also can remember which pokemon are new and aren't on the list at the start of the Arc.**

 **Pokemon: N/A**

 **So there you are I hope this helps some :) If you ever need the full list, minus the newest additions, it's at the beginning of the Arc.**

 **Follow, Fav, Review, and most importantly, Enjoy! :D**

 **NoSignal, out!**


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